South- West Govs
By Olamilekan Abayomi
The South‑West Governors’ Forum met in Ibadan on Monday and, with a united voice, declared that the creation of state police can no longer be delayed – they even went as far as saying “The Time Is Now.” The six governors present – Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Babajide Sanwo‑Olu (Lagos), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and the Osun representative Prince Kola Adewusi – all backed the push for a decentralized policing system to tackle the rising insecurity in the region
In the same meeting they approved the establishment of a South‑West Security Fund (SWSF) under the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission. The fund will be managed by the special advisers on security from each of the six states and is meant to finance coordinated operations, joint intelligence sharing and rapid‑response initiatives across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti
To boost real‑time coordination, the governors also adopted a unified digital intelligence‑sharing platform. The system will exchange threat alerts, incident reports, traveller and cargo notifications, and enable swift state‑to‑state responses, essentially creating a regional “watch‑tower” for security matters
Beyond policing, the forum highlighted two growing threats: illegal mining and unregulated interstate migration. They warned that unlawful mining not only harms the environment but also fuels insecurity, and they called for stricter licensing and enforcement. At the same time, they urged tighter border controls and better identification of migrants to prevent criminal infiltration
Forest security also featured prominently in the communiqué. The governors asked the Federal Government to increase forest surveillance and support the deployment of Forest Guards, emphasizing their commitment to reclaiming forest belts that have become hideouts for bandits and kidnappers .
Finally, the governors praised President Bola Tinubu’s recent security interventions, especially the rescue operations in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara states, and reaffirmed their solidarity with the federal effort while calling for continued unity, vigilance and preservation of the region’s tradition of religious tolerance .
