South-West Leaders Back State Police, Death Penalty to Tackle Insecurity
Leaders from the South‑West region, under the umbrella of the South‑West Security Stakeholders Summit, have endorsed calls for the creation of state police forces and the imposition of the death penalty for kidnappers, as part of efforts to curb growing insecurity across the region.
The summit, held at the 10 Degrees Event Centre in Lagos under the theme “Towards A United Front Against Insecurity in Yorubaland”, was convened by prominent Yoruba traditional and community leaders, including the Iba Gani Adams (Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland) and other regional stakeholders.
In a communiqué signed by Gani Adams, Prof Kolawole Raheem and Amitolu Shittu, the leaders pledged to take a coordinated and inclusive approach to tackling crime, conflict resolution, and restoring peace and order across communities in the South‑West.
They described kidnapping and banditry as a “hydra‑headed monster”, an evil that not only terrorises innocent citizens, but also serves “to instill fear in the people, accumulate funds for levying war, and facilitate ethnic cleansing and land takeover by Fulani jihadists.”
Key Proposals and Demands
As part of their recommendations, the summit participants urged:
The immediate establishment of state police in all South‑West states, and beyond, with recruitment of indigenous people, especially those with proven records in security and public safety.
That the new forces be structured to combine community‑rooted policing (especially in rural areas) with modern security technologies such as drones, UAVs, remote surveillance systems, and other lawful security assets.
The creation of a talent‑based global volunteer programme to attract qualified professionals from the Yoruba diaspora and beyond into specialized, merit‑based roles within the state police.
The establishment of comprehensive welfare and institutional support for local security operatives, including pensions, life insurance, rank progression, possibly managed through a dedicated “Security Welfare Fund” (with contributions from citizens and the diaspora) under a non‑partisan, non‑profit entity tied to the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN).
A total ban on open grazing in Yorubaland, requiring cattle transport to be done by trucks, articulated vehicles, or rail; and promoting ranching as the primary model for meat and dairy production in the region.
That the federal government begin construction of protective borders/fences along Nigeria’s international frontiers with Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the Benin Republic to prevent infiltration by terrorists, bandits, or foreign criminal elements.
A call for all Yoruba youth, under their community and traditional leadership, to cooperate with security agencies and support efforts to combat bandits, kidnappers, jihadists and other criminal elements.
Coordination between South‑West governors and traditional rulers, including those in Yoruba-speaking areas of Kwara and Kogi states, to strengthen security intelligence and community policing across the broader Yorubaland.
A Response to a Deepening Security Crisis
The leaders argued that kidnapping and banditry have advanced beyond isolated criminal acts, evolving into a coordinated menace with deep funding and regional destabilisation aims. They warned that these criminal networks aim not only to terrorise communities, but also to facilitate ethnic cleansing and illegal acquisition of ancestral lands in mineral‑rich and agriculturally fertile territories.
By calling for tougher legal measures, including the death penalty, and the institution of state‑level policing with local recruitment, the summit’s stakeholders believe they can forestall further deterioration of security, restore public confidence, and reclaim stability across Yorubaland.