Governors of Nigeria’s South-West region on Monday, November 24, 2025, announced sweeping new security measures, including the creation of a dedicated regional security fund and a real-time intelligence-sharing system, following an emergency meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The meeting, held at the Oyo State Government Secretariat, brought together Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) and Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa (Ondo). Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke was represented by his Deputy, Kola Adewusi.
The emergency session was convened to address rising security concerns across the region, review joint initiatives, and strengthen integration through the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN Commission).
Reading the communiqué after the meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu announced the establishment of the South West Security Fund (SWSF), which will be housed under the DAWN Commission and coordinated monthly by Special Advisers on Security from the six states.
The governors also approved a digital, real-time intelligence-sharing platform designed to exchange security alerts, incident reports, border movements, and coordinate rapid response teams across state lines.
They commended the Amotekun Corps, the NSCDC, and hunters’ groups for their contributions to regional safety, while urging the Federal Government to deploy Forest Guards to curb criminal activities in the region’s forest belts. States, the governors noted, are prepared to supply the manpower.
Expressing concern about “unregulated interstate migration,” the governors called for stricter border monitoring, biometric data capture at entry points, and closer collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Reaffirming their long-standing position, they renewed a strong call for the establishment of state police, stating:
“The time is now. It can no longer be delayed.”
The governors lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for efforts in tackling insecurity, implementing economic reforms, and establishing the South West Development Commission (SWDC). They also praised security agencies for the swift rescue of abducted worshippers in Kwara and over 51 students of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State.
They further commended farmers in the region for contributing to relative food price stability through increased production.
The governors reaffirmed the region’s reputation for religious tolerance and pledged to maintain unity and cooperation across the six states.
“The South-West remains one, indivisible entity that will continue to uphold the harmony that has long defined our region,” the communiqué stated.
