On Friday night, the Speakers ‘ Conference in the South-West Zone held its first session in Lagos to provide permanent alternatives to the region’s ongoing security threat.
Nigeria’s Chair of the Conference of Speakers, Mudashiru Obasa, highlighted problems affecting security in the region in his welcome address as the principal host.
Mr Obasa said: “We are gathered here today to deliberate on South-west economic and socio-political integration for progress.
“We know the problems confronting us as a region which includes kidnapping, theft, arson and herdsmen attacks on our people.
“It has reached an alarming height and we need to beef up our internal security; all stakeholders in the region should collaborate to find lasting solutions to the hydra-headed security problems confronting us.”
Mr Obasa, who is also the speaker of the House of Assembly of Lagos State, observed that the concept of setting up special security offices across the region “was also in the pipeline”.
He urged the local government, the state, and the federal government to work hard to stem the threat to peace.
Mr Obasa also encouraged the federal government to be proactive against xenophobic assaults in defending Nigerians in South Africa.
“There should be speedy action to halt this sad development, we condemn xenophobic attacks in its entirety and we urge our citizens to give peace a chance.
“Nigerians should not result to vandalisation of their investments in Nigeria in retarliation to South African xenophobia,” he said.
The Chairman, Southwest State Legislature Speakers Conference, Bamidele Oleyelogun, called on the region’s political stakeholders to foster even growth.
“We want peace and unity in South Western states and we had robust debate on what is to be done to move our zone forward,” he said.
Mr Oleyelogun, who is also the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Ondo State, said that the Southwest speakers would come back to their states to discuss the way forward with their governors and stakeholders.
He said the governors were prepared to promote security problems influencing their states on how to finance the suggested special security offices across the region.
The speakers at the session were Ogun, Olakunle Oluomo and Oyo State’s Adebo Ogundoyin.
Others were Ekiti’s Funminiyi Afuye, Osun’s Timothy Owoeye, and some government assemblies ‘ chief officers.