In a bold and unified response to the worsening security crisis gripping Nigeria, 17 governors from the South-West, South-East, and South-South geopolitical zones convened a high-stakes joint meeting yesterday, categorically declaring the establishment of state police as “non-negotiable” and approving the immediate creation of a dedicated zonal security fund to bolster regional defenses. The gathering, hosted by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun at his residence in Iperu-Remo, also included key traditional rulers from the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), underscoring a grassroots-to-leadership alliance aimed at reclaiming safety across the region.
The forum, which drew representatives from all 17 southern states, was briefed extensively by top security officials, including chiefs from the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Their presentations painted a stark picture of the challenges: acute manpower shortages, critical equipment deficits, fragmented intelligence coordination, and the urgent need for enhanced federal-state partnerships to counter threats like kidnappings, banditry, and communal clashes that have increasingly spilled into southern territories.
Governor Abiodun, who chairs the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF) and read the communiqué at the meeting’s conclusion, emphasized the immediacy of action, stating that the rising tide of insecurity demands “decisive, homegrown solutions without further delay.” He highlighted recent incidents of violence and abductions, including spillover effects from northern hotspots, as a clarion call for structural reforms. “State police is non-negotiable; it is the cornerstone of effective, localized security architecture that empowers communities and holds perpetrators accountable,” Abiodun declared, echoing long-standing regional advocacy dating back to the 2021 Asaba Declaration on fiscal federalism and devolution of powers.
The seven-point resolution, a comprehensive blueprint for southern security, includes:
Zonal Security Fund: Each of the three southern geopolitical zones (South-West, South-East, South-South) will establish a dedicated fund, with contributions from member states, to finance zonal security operations, capacity building, and logistics support for local vigilante groups, hunter networks, and community surveillance units.
Monthly Coordination Meetings: Institutionalization of regular zonal security coordination sessions involving state security advisers to ensure seamless intelligence sharing and rapid response mechanisms.
Advanced Intelligence Framework: Approval of a technology-driven platform for inter-state intelligence exchange, enabling real-time data on threats and coordinated interventions.
Integration of Traditional Institutions: Formal incorporation of traditional rulers into state security councils, leveraging their proximity to communities for early warning systems and grassroots intelligence.
Support for Federal Reforms: Commendation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s initiatives, including the rehabilitation of police and NSCDC training facilities, while urging accelerated implementation of infrastructure projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway to foster economic stability as a security multiplier.
Unity and Anti-Disinformation Pledge: A firm rejection of efforts to incite ethnic or religious discord in the South, with leaders reaffirming Nigeria’s indivisibility and their commitment to collaborative federalism.
Economic Synergies: Calls for deeper regional partnerships in governance, development, and private-sector investments to harness the South’s vast resources for job creation and industrial growth.
Attendees included Vice Chairman of the SGF and Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo; Abia Governor Alex Otti; Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru; Enugu Governor Peter Mbah; Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara; and Ekiti Governor Biodun Oyebanji, among others. The traditional rulers’ involvement was pivotal, with their endorsement adding cultural weight to the push for decentralized policing.
This southern initiative follows a November 24 meeting of South-West governors in Ibadan, where they unveiled a precursor South West Regional Security Fund and reiterated demands for state police, signaling a building momentum across Nigeria’s sub-regions.
In a parallel development signaling nationwide concern, governors from Nigeria’s 19 northern states have scheduled an emergency summit for Saturday, November 29, in Kaduna, to tackle the region’s acute security meltdown. Disclosed by Peter Ahemba, Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, the high-level parley will convene leaders from the North-West, North-East, North-Central, and Federal Capital Territory zones, joined by prominent traditional rulers.
The Kaduna summit comes amid a surge in kidnappings— including the recent abduction of over 70 individuals in Kwara—and attacks on schools, prompting temporary closures in several states. Ahemba noted that Nasarawa Governor Sule curtailed his attendance at the ongoing G20 Summit in South Africa to address these threats, underscoring the crisis’s severity. “The meeting will deliberate on concrete steps to curb the rising wave of banditry, kidnappings, and other breaches, forging a coordinated northern strategy,” Ahemba stated.
Security analysts view these zonal gatherings as a potential catalyst for national dialogue on policing reforms, with the southern push for state police potentially influencing northern deliberations. As Nigeria grapples with insecurity that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions this year alone, these forums represent a critical pivot toward federalism-driven solutions.
Clarion Newschannel will continue monitoring developments from both summits, providing live updates as resolutions emerge.
Southern Governors Declare State Police ‘Non-Negotiable’ Amid Escalating Insecurity, Establish Zonal Security Fund; Northern Counterparts Convene Emergency Summit
