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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council on Wednesday declared their readiness to enlist the cooperation of the people to support President Bola Tinubu to strengthen the security architecture in the country.
The traditional rulers equally passed a vote of confidence on President Tinubu, affirming their strong resolve to support the President to crush the rising insecurity across the country.
The Royal Fathers from the 17 states of Southwest, Southeast and South-South hailed the President for rising gallantly to the recent abductions leading to the rescue of 38 Kwara worshippers, 51 school pupils abducted by bandits in Niger as well as the 24 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State.
The Ooni of Ife and Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, disclosed this while speaking with journalists after meeting with the 17 governors of the southern part of the country held at the Iperu-Remo private residence of Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum.
Oba Ogunwusi said that what majorly dominated their deliberation which lasted for over two hours was on how the royal fathers could also galvanise the support of the people to team up with the government to crush every activity threatening the peace of the country.
The paramount ruler said that the time we are in is not auspicious for blame games, division or arguments but the time for everyone to rise up and support President Tinubu to defeat the challenge of the growing insecurity.
He said that President Tinubu is demonstrating responsible and firm leadership to deal with the insecurity challenge and the southern traditional rulers have decided to pass a vote of confidence on him so as to encourage him to also do more for the country.
Oba Ogunwusi said that “the traditional institutions being the closest to the people, we came from the 17 states covering the entire southern Nigeria and our governors are equally at the meeting to chart a better course for the nation and the generations yet unborn.
“And what is critical to us is to pass a vote of confidence on President Bola Tinubu, he is doing a lot and we can’t afford to leave him alone because Nigeria is bigger than all of us.
“He is currently the President and we all need to support him, he is our leader right now and we need to pass a vote of confidence on him. We should not divide ourselves, this is the time all of us must come together, it is a very strong external threat irrespective of the talk about north and south, Nigeria is Nigeria.
“It is coming from the north, it is coming from the church, that is not the issue at hand, what is critical is to pass a vote of confidence on the President, that at this critical and trying time we are with you, that he is not alone and that we are going to work with him to win this war.
“We remain the closest to our people and we shall continue to engage our people and confront this challenge headlong. Once we deal with the external enemies, then we can deal with those operating from the inside. So for us, it is a very critical issue and majorly what dominated our discussion today is a security issue”.
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Meanwhile, the Southern Governors’ Forum in a communiqué issued at the end of the joint meeting, reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the unity of Nigeria, the deepening of regional collaboration, and the strengthening of a more inclusive, secure, and equitable federation.
The Forum encouraged all member states to formally incorporate traditional rulers into their state security councils, recognising that these institutions are closest to the grassroots and hold critical intelligence capacities.
It further emphasised that no effort would be spared in safeguarding lives and property, reaffirming its commitment to working collaboratively with traditional institutions and law enforcement agencies for intelligence gathering, early warning, enforcement, and deterrence of criminal activity.
The communiqué reads further: “Following a thorough review of the security landscape, the Forum resolved on the creation of a Zonal Security Fund: Member states of each geopolitical zone will contribute to a dedicated fund to support zonal security operations and capacity building. A monthly Zonal Security Coordination Meeting of Security Advisers will be institutionalised.
“The Forum adopted an intelligence-sharing framework supported by modern communication equipment and surveillance technologies, enabling real-time monitoring and coordinated responses across states. To this end, the Forum resolved that each member state in each zone (that is SW, SE & SS) shall jointly invest in equipment that will allow effective communication across state lines.
“The Forum reiterated its longstanding call for the establishment of State Police as a constitutional imperative. It emphasised that the success of community-based and regional security outfits underscores the urgent need for decentralised policing.
“Member states were encouraged to collaborate with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to implement a unified state resident identification system.
“The Forum resolved to enhance regional and local security outfits including hunter associations and community-based surveillance units through the provision of equipment, logistics, and operational support.
“Governance of Land and Mining Activities: States were urged to partner with traditional rulers to regulate land allocation and prevent indiscriminate practices that could lead to security risks. The Forum also resolved to combat illegal mining activities, which have caused significant ecological damage, by working with environmental authorities and traditional councils.
“Member states were encouraged to provide direct financial and operational support to their traditional councils, enabling them to play a more effective role in governance, security, and peacebuilding.
“In a strong demonstration of unity, the Forum and the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council jointly passed a Vote of Confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in recognition of his leadership and unwavering commitment to national stability and reform.
“Finally, the Forum addressed attempts to sow discord and propagate disinformation and fear within the region. It reassured all citizens that Southern Nigeria remains united, indivisible, and committed to peaceful coexistence across religious and cultural lines. The Forum pledged to continue speaking with one voice, advancing the collective interests of the South, and working collaboratively with the Federal Government to promote peace, prosperity, and progress for all Nigerians”.
