Ogun State Governor and Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Dapo Abiodun, on Wednesday said the establishment of state police was no longer negotiable in the collective effort to tackle worsening insecurity nationwide.
Abiodun said recent coordinated attacks targeting schoolchildren and worshippers had confirmed that no part of the country was insulated from banditry, kidnapping and terrorism.
The governor stated this while hosting his counterparts from the South at his Iperu-Remo country home in Ikenne Local Government Area.
Governors Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Alex Otti (Abia), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo) attended the meeting.
Deputy governors present included Kola Adewusi (Osun), Bayo Lawal (Oyo), Peter Odey (Cross River), and Dennis Idahosa (Edo).
Abiodun praised President Bola Tinubu for what he described as “exceptional leadership” in the recent rescue operations, noting the President’s decision to personally coordinate responses to the spate of abductions.
Abiodun said, “Distinguished colleagues, as we deliberate on the security architecture of Southern Nigeria, it is important to state clearly that the creation of state police remains a non-negotiable component of our collective demand for true federalism and effective grassroots security.
“Our region has consistently advocated for a policing system that is closer to the people, more responsive to local realities, and better equipped to address the rapidly evolving threats we face.”
The governor said devolving policing powers to states would enhance intelligence gathering, early-warning systems, and protection of schools, farmlands, border communities and critical infrastructure.
He added, “The recent incidents across the country reinforce the urgency of decentralising policing so that states can take direct responsibility for safeguarding their citizens.
“A unified Southern position on state police will not only enhance intelligence gathering and early-warning capabilities but also strengthen our ability to secure schools, farmlands, border communities, and critical infrastructure across our states.
“In the same spirit of shared purpose, we will be meeting with our revered traditional rulers—custodians of culture, mediators of community affairs, and the closest authority to the grassroots.
“Their involvement is essential as we envision a Southern region with borders but no boundaries; a region where peace, prosperity, mobility, and the resolution of national issues are shared responsibilities rooted in unity rather than division.
“By working hand in hand with traditional institutions, security agencies, and the communities they guide, we can reinforce a collective identity that transcends geography and politics.
“Together, we will build a Southern Nigeria where cooperation replaces rivalry, where joint development initiatives flourish, and where every citizen experiences the true dividends of stability and good governance.”
He also disclosed that the forum would meet with traditional rulers to strengthen community-based security, describing them as the closest authority to the grassroots.
Abiodun warned that the pace at which insecurity spreads showed that geography was no longer a guarantee of safety, especially in a region with seaports, major highways and industrial corridors.
He said the gathering offered an opportunity for the South to present a united front on national security reforms.
The governor added, “The forum must reiterate and reaffirm its support for the establishment of state police as we have all submitted our individual positions on this subject.”
The meeting comes amid renewed outrage over mass abductions in parts of the North.
Last week, bandits stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara LGA of Niger State, abducting over 300 pupils and 12 teachers — just four days after 26 schoolgirls were taken from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State.
During the Kebbi attack, the vice principal, Hasan Makuku, was shot dead while the principal was injured.
Another gang also invaded a church vigil in Eruku, Kwara State, killing at least three worshippers and abducting 38 people.
Tinubu, who postponed planned trips to South Africa and Angola, announced on Sunday that all 38 abducted Kwara worshippers had been rescued, while 51 of the Niger pupils had regained freedom.