South-West Governors Forum on Thursday took a decisive action to combat insecurity in the region, saying it has agreed to appoint special advisors on security in each state and establish a joint surveillance monitoring team which will oversee and coordinate security efforts across the zone.
Also, the Forum, in a closed-door meeting at Lagos House, Ikeja discussed the growth and development of the region. They agreed to set up a Food Inflation Joint Monitoring Team, which will be able to foster inter-state collaboration and mitigate food inflation.
The meeting, hosted by its Chairman and Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was attended by Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Biodun Oyebaniji (Ekiti), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Ademola Adeleke (Osun).
Reading the 11-point communiqué to newsmen, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the Forum strongly condemns ISWAP’s activities and the threat posed by them in parts of the South-West, and enjoined enhanced collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and local security outfits.
The governor urged them to remain vigilant, expressing the Forum’s commitment to take the necessary actions to counter these threats.
“The Forum agreed to establish a Joint Surveillance Monitoring Team to oversee and coordinate security efforts across the South West region.
“As part of this resolution, it has committed to deploy advanced technology, including aerial surveillance systems, to enhance security operations.
“Additionally, it resolved that its Special Advisers on Security should collaborate on intelligence gathering and share between state security agencies, local security networks and federal law enforcement authorities among South West states,” Sanwo-Olu said.
This was just as the governor expressed the Forum’s appreciation to the South West governors for maintaining relative peace and security in the region, particularly during the recent festive period, calling on all states in the region “to continue fostering peaceful coexistence.”
On food inflation, Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed the Forum’s concern over the activities of unscrupulous middlemen who he said deliberately inflate the prices of goods and commodities in South-West markets, saying towards that end, agreement was reached to establish a State Food Inflation Joint Monitoring Team and also the establishment of Aggregation Centre/Food Hubs to foster inter-state collaboration and mitigate food inflation.
Besides, he said the Forum “encourages collaboration among South West states to implement collective measures aimed at curbing food inflation in the region.”
