Nigerian governors in the country’s South-West geopolitical zone, under the aegis of the South-West Governors’ Forum, have approved the creation of a regional security fund amid growing insecurity and armed terror.
They also renewed their call for the creation of state police at a closed door meeting held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Monday.
As insecurity worsens across different states, especially with rising kidnapping, banditry, and rural attacks, there have been calls on the state and federal governments to step up efforts to address the challenges.
The meeting had in attendance the forum’s Chairman and Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Mr Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), and the host, Mr Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
However, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, was represented by his deputy, Mr Kola Adewusi.
The governors weighed regional concerns and mapped out a coordinated response amid insecurity and rising fears within the South-West.
Mr Sanwo-Olu read the communiqué at the end of the closed-door meeting that lasted for many hours.
The governors harped on regional integration and agreed to create a South West Regional Security Fund to strengthen the region’s response to insecurity, especially rising incidents of kidnapping, banditry, illegal mining, and unregulated interstate migration.
The Forum said the fund would be managed by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission and supervised by the special advisers on security from all six states.
Recall that DAWN also called for state policing last week after a spare of attacks in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States.
The governors said the fund would support coordinated operations, joint intelligence sharing, and rapid response initiatives across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states.
The governors further expressed concern over unregulated interstate migration, calling for stricter border monitoring and collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure proper identification of migrants and prevent criminal infiltration.
While raising the alarm over the rise in illegal mining activities, they called for a stronger licensing framework and tougher enforcement to curb environmental and security threats linked to unlawful mining operations.
The governors also approved the establishment of a live, digital intelligence-sharing platform that would enable real-time exchange of threat alerts, incident reports, and inter-state security communication.
On forest security, the governors urged the federal government to support the deployment of Forest Guards across the region to reclaim forest belts currently used as hideouts by criminal elements.