THIS DAWN — In a decisive move aimed at strengthening security coordination across the region, governors of the six South West states have approved the creation of a dedicated South West Security Fund (SWSF).
The decision was reached during a meeting of the South-West Governors’ Forum held on 24 November 2025.
The move signalled a renewed commitment to tackling the escalating challenges of kidnapping, banditry, illegal mining, and cross-border criminality affecting the region.
The newly established fund will be administered through the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission.
The Commission will oversee disbursements, operational priorities, as well as inter-state coordination.
Security advisers from all six states—Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti—will serve as the technical steering body of the Commission.
They are mandated to ensure transparency, efficiency, and alignment with shared regional objectives.
According to the governors, the fund is designed to enhance the operational capacity of existing security structures, particularly the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun).
They are also to facilitate joint operations, intelligence fusion, and rapid response to emerging threats.
The initiative also aligns with their long-standing advocacy for the establishment of state police, which the Forum described as “no longer a matter of debate, but an urgent national necessity.”
Cutting-edge digital intelligence-sharing platform
As part of the broader security blueprint unveiled at the meeting, the governors launched a cutting-edge digital intelligence-sharing platform.
The platform will allow security agencies across the region to exchange real-time alerts, track incidents, and coordinate field operations.
The platform is expected to significantly improve early-warning capabilities and reduce response time to security breaches.
The Forum also raised concerns about the vulnerability of the region’s extensive forest belts, which have become hideouts for criminal groups.
They called on the Federal Government to deploy specialised forest guards to complement ongoing state-level interventions.
Meanwhile, they pledged to provide additional personnel and logistical support.
Furthermore, the governors highlighted the need for stricter monitoring of interstate migration, warning that unregulated movement has been exploited by criminal networks.
By establishing the South-West Security Fund, the governors have taken a landmark step toward regional self-reliance in security management.
The initiative underscores a collective determination to protect lives, improve intelligence capabilities, and reinforce public confidence in local security frameworks.
As implementation begins, citizens and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how effectively the states translate this ambitious plan into tangible improvements in public safety across the region.
All eyes are also on the southern region counterparts, who have, so far, failed to duplicate the feat of Amotekun.
