….as States launch digital intelligence platform
In a dramatic escalation of their regional security strategy, the Governors of Nigeria’s six South-West states are fighting border security and betting on improved regional integration to tackle rising insecurity.
The South West Governors’ Forum, meeting in Ibadan under the chairmanship of Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu, declared that establishing state police “can no longer be delayed”, and backed that demand with significant structural steps.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the governors announced the creation of a South West Security Fund (SWSF), to be domiciled under the DAWN Commission. That fund will be managed by security advisers from all six states Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti who will meet monthly to assess trends, allocate resources, and drive regional security operations.
Combining high tech surveillance, shared intelligence, and coordinated funding the Governors aim to have their states prepared in the event of any security threat.
Perhaps the most striking innovation is a live digital intelligence sharing platform, which will enable real time exchange of threat notifications, incident logs, traveler and cargo alerts, and coordination of rapid responses across state borders. According to the governors, the platform will significantly improve the speed, accuracy, and reach of their security efforts.
A key part of the Governors’ concern lies in the vast forest belts of the South West, which they say have become safe corridors for criminals, kidnappers, and other armed groups. In their resolution, they called on the federal government to deploy Forest Guards in the region, with each state supplying personnel. They emphasized that the fund and the intelligence platform must support efforts to reclaim these forest areas from criminal elements.
The governors also spotlighted two other major threats: unregulated interstate migration and illegal mining. They argued that poor border monitoring and weak identity systems are enabling criminal infiltration, and called for tighter collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to strengthen data collection and migrant profiling. On mining, they urged a stricter licensing regime and harsher enforcement to prevent armed groups from using mining as a front for criminal activities.
At the heart of the governors’ push is what they portray as an existential security reform: state level policing. In their communique, they warned that without this reform, local governments will remain vulnerable, and the national police force alone will not suffice to curb organized crime and insurgency. As they put it bluntly: “The time is now,” they insisted, urging the Federal Government to take concrete steps.
Governors also expressed support for existing regional security actors like Amotekun, hunters, and local community vigilantes, acknowledging their contributions while saying more structure and resources are needed.
Security experts have largely welcomed the new regional architecture, saying it represents a shift toward proactive, technology enabled governance rather than reactive security responses. One analyst described the intelligence sharing platform as a “game changer,” because it could drastically reduce the time between threat detection and coordinated action across state lines.
Civil society organizations in the South West also praised the fund and data sharing strategy but called for strong safeguards and oversight to ensure transparency and accountability. They warned that without checks, such a system could concentrate power without delivering lasting security.
On the federal side, the governors’ renewed demand for state police tests the balance of Nigeria’s security structure. While some Abuja officials have pushed back on decentralizing policing, others see merit in allowing states more control especially in regions where national resources have been overstretched.
The South West’s move underscores a growing reality: insecurity in Nigeria is not uniform, and regional leaders are no longer willing to wait for federal fixes. By pooling resources, intelligence, and political will, they are building a security architecture tailored to the unique challenges of their zone.
If successful, the SWSF and intelligence platform could serve as a blueprint for other regions; if poorly managed, they risk becoming underfunded or politically capture prone. The call for forest guards also raises practical challenges who will guard the guards? And how will interstate migration be monitored without infringing on rights?
In the months to come, much will depend on follow through. The attitude of the Federal Government toward forest deployment and state police will be key. The actual deployment of the intelligence platform and the effectiveness of the SWSF will also test the governors’ commitment.
For now, the South West is betting big on regional cooperation as its best weapon against insecurity. Whether that gamble pays off could determine not just the region’s safety, but the future of subnational security innovation in Nigeria.