Worried by rising insecurity, governors of Nigeria’s South-West on Monday said the creation of state police “can no longer be delayed,” as they unveiled a new regional security architecture and dedicated funding platform for the zone.
Meeting inside the Executive Chamber in Ibadan under the South-West Governors’ Forum, the six governors agreed to establish a South West Security Fund (SWSF) to be managed by the DAWN Commission and the security advisers of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states. They also approved a live digital intelligence-sharing platform to coordinate threat alerts, incident logs, and rapid response across state lines.
Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who chairs the Forum, read the communiqué, which praised President Bola Tinubu’s recent interventions and rescue operations following high-profile kidnappings in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara states, including the abduction of more than 50 students from a Catholic school in Niger.
The governors warned about unregulated interstate migration and illegal mining, saying both are fuelling insecurity and environmental degradation. They urged the Federal Government to intensify forest surveillance and support the deployment of forest guards, vowing to “reclaim the forests” that have become criminal hideouts.
Reaffirming their long-standing demand for decentralised policing, the Forum declared: “The time is now and it can no longer be delayed,” insisting that state police is essential to match security responses to local realities.
Ogun moves on foreign nationals, border security
In a related move, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun announced mandatory documentation of all foreign nationals living in the state, after a separate high-level security meeting at his Iperu residence.
Abiodun said no one entering or residing in Ogun would be allowed to operate without proper identification, describing the state as the “industrial capital” and gateway between Lagos and the rest of the country, where stability is vital for investment. He also ordered the dismantling of the ZAGA settlement in Ijebu-Ode, which security agencies have linked to unlawful activities, and warned landlords who harbour criminal elements would be “decisively dealt with.”
The governor further disclosed plans to prioritise a Forward Operating Base (FOB) around Ilara in Imeko/Afon LGA, a key border corridor with Benin, to tighten frontier security and curb cross-border crime.
Taken together, the Ibadan resolutions and Ogun’s new measures signal a more assertive regional posture on security — and renewed pressure on Abuja to finally green-light state police.
