Governors of the South-West, under the aegis of the South-West Governors’ Forum, have renewed their call for the establishment of state police as part of efforts to address the worsening security situation in the region and across the country.

They made the call on Monday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, after a closed-door meeting held at the Oyo State Governor’s Office.

In attendance were 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). Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, was represented by his deputy, Mr. Kola Adewusi.

The governors reviewed regional security concerns and agreed on a coordinated response amid rising incidents of kidnapping, banditry, illegal mining, and unregulated interstate migration.

Reading the communiqué after the meeting, which lasted several hours, Mr. Sanwo-Olu said the governors had resolved to establish a South-West Regional Security Fund to strengthen the region’s collective security operations. The fund will be managed by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission and supervised by the special advisers on security from all six states.

According to the communiqué, the fund will support coordinated operations, joint intelligence sharing, and rapid-response initiatives across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti States.

The Forum expressed concern about unregulated interstate migration and called for stricter border monitoring, as well as collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), to ensure proper identification of migrants and prevent criminal infiltration.

Raising alarm over the surge in illegal mining, the governors urged the Federal Government to institute a stronger licensing regime and enforce tougher penalties to curb the environmental and security threats associated with unlawful mining.

They also approved the establishment of a live, digital intelligence-sharing platform to enable real-time exchange of threat alerts, incident reports, and inter-state communication on security matters.

On forest security, the governors requested Federal Government support for the deployment of Forest Guards across the region to reclaim forest belts currently used as hideouts by criminal groups.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of recent attacks in several northern states. In Niger State, gunmen abducted more than 300 children from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri. In Kebbi State, 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, were kidnapped, and the vice-principal was killed.

Last week, three people were killed when bandits abducted worshippers during an attack on a Christ Apostolic Church parish in Eruku, Kwara State. On Sunday, the police confirmed the killing of five police officers in Bauchi State and the abduction of 12 female farmers in Borno State.

As insecurity escalates across the country, especially with rising cases of kidnapping, banditry, and rural attacks, public pressure has mounted on state and federal authorities to strengthen their response.