Governors of the six south-west states met in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, on Monday and agreed to set up a south west security fund (SWSF).
The meeting was called to deliberate on various issues, including agriculture, economic and regional development and security challenges affecting the south-west region.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos and chairman of the forum, who read the communique issued at the end of the meeting, said the SWSF will be under the DAWN commission and administered by the forum of special advisers on security of all south-west states.
Sanwo-Olu said the governors also resolved to establish a joint security intelligence sharing and communication platform.
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“The forum resolves to establish a live, digital intelligence-sharing platform among all six south-west states (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti),” he said.
“This platform will exchange threat notifications, incident logs, traveller and cargo alerts, and coordinate state-to-state rapid response.
“The forum calls on the federal government to note the urgent need for enhanced forest surveillance across the south-west states and calls for the federal government to secure the vast forest belts that have become hideouts for criminals.
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“To this end, the forum agrees 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 governors reaffirm their collective commitment to reclaiming the forests and ensuring that these spaces no longer serve as safe corridors for banditry, kidnapping, or any form of criminal activity.”
Sanwo-Olu said the forum expressed solidarity with the federal government in its efforts in Kebbi, Kwara, and Niger states after the recent spate of kidnappings.
He noted that the governors were worried about the unregulated interstate migration that continues to pose significant challenges across the south-west.
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“The forum agrees to intensify security collaboration to ensure that interstate migration does not become a conduit for insecurity,” he said.
“The forum reaffirms its support for the establishment of state police, emphasising that ‘the time is now’ and it can no longer be delayed.”
Other governors present were Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti state. Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun state, was represented by Kola Adeusi, his deputy.
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