Leaders in the South-West under the aegis of South-West Security Stakeholders Summit, have thrown their weight behind the call for State Police and death penalty for kidnappers as a way of addressing the multifaceted security challenges in the country.

These were key resolutions from the summit, which was themed ‘Towards A United Front Against Insecurity in Yorubaland’, held at the 10 Degrees Event Centre in Lagos.

The summit was hosted by the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams and other Yoruba leaders.

In a communique by Gani Adams, Prof. Kolawole Raheem and Amitolu Shittu, the leaders said they were committed to addressing the multifaceted security challenges confronting communities in the region.

They, however, pledged to foster a coordinated and inclusive approach to crime prevention, conflict resolution, and the restoration of peace and order across Yorubaland.

They observed that “there is an unrelenting attempt by the Jihadists to complete the conquest of sub-Saharan West Africa, which they started in the 1800s by violent conquest.”

In addition, they said: “Kidnapping and banditry in Nigeria is a hydra-headed monster that feeds various interpretations but ultimately serves the purpose of instilling fear in the people, accumulating funds and resources for levying war, ethnic cleansing and takeover of our arable and mineral-rich ancestral lands by Fulani jihadists.”

In a communique, the leaders called for the establishment of state police and tasked South West governors to establish a talent-based global volunteer programme.

It reads: “There should be immediate, fast-tracked establishment of state police in all states in the southwest and all other states based on public recruitment of indigenous people, especially from organisations with track records in security and public safety.

“The state police in Yorubaland should be organised and empowered based on a balanced architecture that blends culturally grounded methods (particularly at the rank and file level and rural areas) with emerging technologies, including drones, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), remote surveillance tools, and other lawful modern security assets.

“South-West governments should establish a talent-based global volunteer programme by creating specialised units within state police that allow Yoruba professionals across the world to volunteer and contribute in structured (with reasonable guardrails), merit-based roles. This will enable the design of a rigorous, vetted pathway that admits only qualified and trustworthy individuals to contribute in areas of strategic regional interests and pain points while expanding our technical capacity.

“Governments in Yorubaland should embark on a deliberate and structured strengthening of welfare and institutional support for local operatives. Beyond issuing formal letters and ensuring pension, life insurance, and rank progression, it may be beneficial to create an independent Security Welfare Fund supported by citizens and the diaspora.

“There is a need to create a non-partisan, non-profit project under the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, DAWN, that strictly caters for the complementary welfare of the operatives.

“There should be an immediate and total ban on open grazing in all Yorubaland. Transportation of cattle interstate and between communities should be by vehicles like pickup trucks, articulated vehicles and rail.

“All state governments in Yorubaland should put in place legislation enabling the establishment of cattle ranches as the main model for meat and dairy production in the South-West, with provision for the Bank of Agriculture to support private investors in this regard.

“The Federal Government should commence the building of protective fences and walls along the borders with Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the Benin Republic.

“We support fully any foreign assistance that would help Nigeria to crush the kidnappers, bandits and terrorists ravaging our land, provided the terms are clear and Nigeria’s sovereignty and international laws and rules of engagement are respected.

“We call on all Yoruba people, particularly youth in various communities under the leadership of their traditional rulers, to fully support and cooperate with the security agencies and other forces involved in the ongoing counter-offensive against the bandits, kidnappers, jihadists and other criminal elements.

“South-West governors should liaise with traditional rulers and leaders of Yoruba-speaking people in Kwara and Kogi states for necessary assistance on security issues.

“For traditional rulers to effectively perform their customary roles in intelligence gathering and control within their domains, it is important to invest them with constitutional responsibilities.” (Vanguard)

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