Governors from the six Southwest states, comprising Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo, concluded a high-level meeting of the South West Governors’ Forum on Monday in Ibadan, with a series of major security and development resolutions.
The Forum also reiterated its unwavering support for decentralised policing, stating unequivocally that the establishment of state police is critical and can “no longer be delayed.”
In a communiqué released after the summit emailed to Persecondnews, the governors announced the creation of a South West Security Fund (SWSF).
This significant initiative will be managed by the DAWN Commission and coordinated by the Special Advisers on Security from all six states, aiming to strengthen the region’s collective security capacity.
Before outlining their regional plans, the Forum commenced by commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its economic reforms and its commitment to tackling insecurity.
Specifically, the governors expressed solidarity with the Federal Government’s anti-kidnapping efforts in Kebbi, Kwara, and Niger States, praising the “swift response” that led to the rescue of abducted persons in Kwara and “more than 51 students of the Catholic School, Niger State.”
The meeting also included extensive deliberations on key regional challenges, including agriculture, migration, illegal mining, regional development, and ongoing national issues.
The Forum also unveiled plans for a live, digital intelligence-sharing platform to link security operations across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti.
According to the communiqué, the platform will facilitate “threat notifications, incident logs, traveller and cargo alerts and state-to-state rapid response coordination.”
The governors raised the alarm over growing criminal activities in forests across the South West and called on the Federal Government to deploy forest guards across the region.
They commended the NSCDC, Hunters Group, Amotekun Corps members and other agencies, but stressed that the region needs “enhanced forest surveillance” because the vast forest belts “have become hideouts for criminal elements.”
The communiqué added that all six states remain “committed to reclaiming the forests and ensuring these spaces no longer serve as safe corridors for banditry, kidnapping or any form of criminal activity.”
The Forum expressed deep concern over unregulated interstate migration, warning that it is becoming “a conduit for insecurity.”
It called for stricter border monitoring, improved data collection and collaboration with NIMC to ensure proper identification of migrants.
The governors also condemned the rise of illegal mining in the region, describing it as a threat to “environmental safety, public health and regional security.”
The states’ chief executives made a strong demand for a more robust licensing framework and the “strict enforcement actions” necessary to penalize violators who use mining activities as a cover for perpetrating violent crimes.
On food security, the governors applauded the Federal Government’s efforts to boost food production and praised farmers across the Southwest for their increased output, which they noted has contributed to “stability and reduction in food prices.”
They thanked President Tinubu for establishing the Southwest Development Commission (SWDC), urging it to “effectively deliver on its mandate,” and further commended the DAWN Commission for its continued commitment to regional integration initiatives.
The meeting concluded with a passionate appeal for regional unity.
The communiqué stressed that residents should uphold the peace and religious tolerance for which the Southwest is known, emphasizing the region’s commitment to remaining “one, indivisible entity.”
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