The Southern Governors’ Forum and the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council have reiterated their long-standing demand for State Police, highlighting the effectiveness of community-based and regional security outfits in addressing local threats.

Meeting at the Iperu residence of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, governors from the South-West, South-East, and South-South, alongside leading traditional rulers, focused on security, governance, development cooperation, and institutional partnerships.

Governors in attendance included Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Alex Otti (Abia), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Francis Nwifiru (Ebonyi), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Charles Soludo (Anambra), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo). Deputy governors from Osun, Oyo, Cross River, and Edo states were also present.

Traditional rulers included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Obi of Obinugwu, Eze C. I. Ilomuanya; and the Dein of Agbor, Benjamin Ikenchukwu Keagborekuzi. The meeting emphasized the role of traditional institutions in national stability, especially in intelligence gathering and grassroots security.

The forum urged states to formally integrate traditional rulers into state security councils and approved the creation of a Zonal Security Fund, funded by member states for joint operations and capacity building. Other measures include:

• Monthly zonal security coordination meetings for state security advisers.
• Adoption of a unified intelligence-sharing framework using modern communication and surveillance technologies.
• Increased support for local security groups, hunter associations, and community surveillance units.
• Collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission to develop a unified resident ID system.
• Crackdown on illegal mining and support for traditional councils in governance and peacebuilding.

The communiqué also stressed that the South remains united and committed to peaceful coexistence across religious and cultural lines.

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Speakers’ Conference Warns Insecurity Threatens National Stability

Separately, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria called for the swift creation of a national peace framework to tackle escalating insecurity.

At the 19th International Conference of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice at the University of Ibadan, Chairman Adebo Ogundoyin highlighted the surge in kidnapping, banditry, and communal violence as a threat to Nigeria’s stability.

Ogundoyin, also Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, urged traditional rulers, faith leaders, civil society, and all stakeholders to work collectively to safeguard peace. He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to deploy robust and strategic measures and stressed that lawmakers are ready to provide full legislative backing for initiatives promoting national unity and sustainable development.