South-west governors renew call for creation of state police

Governors from the south-west geo-political zone have renewed their call for the creation of state police.

The governors said state police would strengthen safety in the south-west region.

At the meeting, which held on Monday in Lagos state, the governors elected Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the new chair of the forum following the demise of Rotimi Akeredolu, former governor of Ondo.

Reading a communique after a closed-door meeting, Sanwo-Olu, Lagos governor, said there has been relative peace in the south-west because of the collaboration between Amotekun and security agencies.

“The Southwest Governors’ Forum, at its meeting today, June 10, 2024, deliberated extensively on contemporary issues in the South-West States and resolved to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR on the groundbreaking of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, and the proposed Lagos to Sokoto road,” he said.

“We, however, encourage the Federal Government to rehabilitate other federal infrastructure in the region.

“On security, the Forum commends the relative peace in the South-West region and notes the collaboration between all security agencies and the Amotekun Corps.

“We reaffirm our full support for State Police. We acknowledge the efforts of the Federal Government to strengthen food security.

“We decide that Commissioners for Agriculture of all the South-West states should begin to meet and set up a working template, which will ensure collaboration based on each State’s comparative advantage.”

The Lagos governor said the federal government, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the organised private sector should resolve the wage dispute with labour through continued negotiations.

Sanwo-Olu said the south-west governors adopted a popular song composed by Afenifere titled: “Ise wa fun ile wa”, as common anthem across the six states.