Southern Governors And Traditional Rulers Unite to Tackle Insecurity

Southern governors and members of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council met in Ogun State on Thursday to deliberate on security challenges, governance concerns, and developmental priorities affecting the region. The gathering ended with a shared position on several national and regional issues.

In their joint communique, the leaders expressed renewed confidence in President Bola Tinubu, applauding what they described as steady progress in stabilising the nation’s economy, improving governance systems, and pushing forward major infrastructure developments.

They also restated their long-standing advocacy for a Southern presidency, describing it as essential for fairness, political balance, and unity in the country.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in a post on X, wrote, “We passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu and restated our support for a Southern presidency. We reaffirmed our commitment to a safer and more united South, expressed our condolences on recent national security losses, and acknowledged the President’s efforts in stabilising the economy and advancing major infrastructure projects.”

According to him, the forum agreed on several new steps to strengthen regional security. These include the creation of a zonal security fund, better coordination and intelligence sharing among states, formal involvement of traditional rulers in security management, reinforcement of local security outfits, and actions to tackle illegal mining and land-related threats.

The forum also offered condolences to families of security operatives and civilians killed in recent attacks, stressing that protecting lives and preserving stability across the South remain central to their agenda.