The Southwest Governors’ Forum yesterday called for the establishment of state police, following the rising insecurity across the country.
The governors also drew the Federal Government’s attention to what it called an urgent need for enhanced forest surveillance across the states of the region.
The forum called on the Federal Government to secure the vast forest belts, which it said have become hideouts for criminal elements.
In a communiqué issued after a meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, all six governors agreed that the Federal Government should help deploy forest guards across the South West states, with each state government responsible for providing the required personnel.
The communique of the meeting was read by the chairman of the Forum and governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
In attendance were governors Dapo Abiodun of Ogun; Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti; Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo; Ademola Adeleke of Osun, who was represented by his deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi; and the host governor, Seyi Makinde.
In the communique, the forum agreed to set up a South West Security Fund (SWSF) under the DAWN Commission to be administered by the Forum of Special Advisers on Security of all South West States and to meet monthly.
To improve intelligence gathering and rapid response across the six states, the forum adopted a unified digital communication network.
“The Forum resolves to establish a live, digital intelligence-sharing platform among all six South West States (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti). This platform will exchange threat notifications, incident logs, traveller and cargo alerts, and coordinate state-to-state rapid response.”
The communique also highlighted concerns about forest infiltration by criminal gangs, urging federal assistance in deploying forest guards and reaffirming the commitment of the governors to secure forest belts.
Addressing the growing problem of unregulated migration into the South West, the forum emphasised the need for tighter border management and improved identification systems.
“The Forum expresses deep concern about the unregulated interstate migration that continues to pose significant challenges across the South West.
“The Forum agrees to intensify security collaboration to ensure that interstate migration does not become a conduit for insecurity,” it added.
