Stakeholders' Security Summit Focus on Western Nigeria

Governor, State of Osun Mr Gboyega Oyetola has made it clear that insecurity and other criminal tendencies have no ethnic and religious colouration, therefore,the issues have to be addressed with all decisiveness and in accordance with the law.

Speaking in Ibadan on tuesday at a Stakeholders' Security Summit with a Focus on the South West, Governor Oyetola observed that for South West to remain safe, the States in the region must collaborate and share information to collectively secure the people.

Noting that security chiefs also need to share information among themselves, the Governor regretted that the nation is grossly under policed and under funded.

He disclosed that the Police have said the  Force needs 155,000 more men to effectively police the nation.

Mr Oyetola took a swipe at the preponderance of security wars on the social media,urging brother governor to proactively address the issue.

He made it known that Osun has always addressed security matters with a high level of resoluteness such that it was ranked the safest State in Nigeria in 2018.

Declaring the Summit open, Chairman of South West Governors Forum,Mr Rotimi Akeredolu had enjoined all Governors in this region to put aside political and sundry colouration to fight a common enemy,attempting to push the South West in the backwaters of development.

According to him, the accommodating nature of the Yoruba would not be compromised as long as peace in the South West is not put in jeopardy by people from other parts of the country and beyond.

Governor Akeredolu condemned situations where some clergymen and monarchs are feigning their own kidnap to make fortune.

The Governor of Oyo state who is the host Governor, Mr Seyi Makinde made a case for State police, stressing that the whiff of insecurity in any state in the South West will be caught in other states.

He encouraged the Yoruba not to allow enemies of unity to change the country from what it is.

 In the meantime, Governor of Ekiti State,Dr Kayode Fayemi has lent his voice to that of his brother governors in keeping clear of demonising any ethnic group in the name of crime,clarifying that no name calling or horse trading can win the war against insecurity.

Governor Fayemi campaigned for a complete overhaul of the nation's criminal justice system to ensure prompt arrest, prosecution and sentence of criminal suspects .

He urged the Federal and State Governments to reconfigure architecture to meet the current security challenges.