Insecurity: Southwest Governors Renew Call for State Police as Critics Fault Northern Leaders’ Silence Amid Worsening Attacks

 

Southwest Governors

The Southwest Governors’ Forum has intensified its demand for the creation of state police, insisting that decentralising Nigeria’s security architecture has become an urgent national necessity as violent attacks spread across multiple regions.

In a communiqué issued after its meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday, the governors warned that the country can no longer afford delays in empowering states to operate their own policing systems. The meeting was attended by Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Osun Deputy Governor Prince Kola Adewusi, who represented Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The Forum called on the Federal Government to prioritise enhanced forest surveillance, saying the vast forest belts across the Southwest have become hiding places for criminal gangs. The governors reiterated their demand for the deployment of federal Forest Guards, with states committing to provide supporting personnel and logistics.

As part of new measures for coordinated security operations, the Forum approved the establishment of a South West Security Fund (SWSF) under the DAWN Commission. The fund will be jointly managed by Security Advisers from the six states, while a unified communication network will allow real-time sharing of intelligence, threat alerts, and incident reports across the region.

The governors also expressed concerns over criminal infiltration of forests, unregulated migration, and the rising rate of illegal mining, describing them as growing threats to public safety and regional stability.

However, the renewed push by Southwest leaders has also triggered debates about regional responses to insecurity, especially in the northern part of the country. Despite recent mass kidnappings in Niger and Kebbi states, the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in parts of Borno, and escalating killings in Katsina and Benue, critics note that the Northern Governors’ Forum has yet to convene any emergency meeting to address the crises.

There are also increasing intelligence warnings about possible attacks in Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and other northern states, prompting many state governments to issue press statements ordering the closure of basic and tertiary schools instead of presenting comprehensive security strategies.

Security experts are divided on the implications of this trend. Abuja-based security analyst, Dr. Salisu Danjuma, said the northern silence “reflects a troubling pattern of reactive governance.” According to him, “Mass abductions have occurred repeatedly across Northwest and North-central states in the past month alone. The expectation is that governors should lead with urgency—call emergency security councils, mobilise community intelligence, and coordinate joint operations. What we have seen instead is school shutdowns and press releases.”

Another expert, Salisu Liman, argued that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity highlights the need for decentralised policing nationwide. “The Southwest governors have taken a policy position. Whether one agrees or not, they are offering a coordinated strategy. Many northern states currently lack that clarity,” she said.

The Forum, in reaffirming its stance on state police, declared: “The time is now, and it can no longer be delayed.”

On food security, the governors commended the growing agricultural output across the Southwest and praised farmers for their role in stabilising food prices in the region.