Amid escalating security challenges nationwide, the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) has declared strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to tackle insecurity and has called on governors to enhance local protection through community policing.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja after a closed-door meeting that lasted over three hours on Wednesday, Imo State Governor and PGF Chairman, Hope Uzodimma, confirmed the forum’s commitment to backing the President’s security agenda.

He revealed that the forum is now giving serious consideration to the establishment of state police, echoing a proposal made by Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, during President Tinubu’s recent visit to the violence-hit state.

“We are supporting Mr. President wholeheartedly in addressing our security challenges, and we also believe that strengthening local security through community and possibly state policing is crucial,” Uzodimma stated.

Governor Alia, at the Benue stakeholders’ meeting, had strongly advocated for state police as a long-term solution to the crisis plaguing his state and others.

“I reaffirm my support for state police as a sustainable approach to resolving insecurity in our state and perhaps across the country,” Alia said. “Concerns about potential misuse can be addressed through robust federal guidelines and state-specific regulations.”

In a related development, governors from all 36 states of the federation have converged in Abuja for an emergency Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) meeting to discuss the deteriorating security situation.

The meeting, held at the NGF Secretariat, is being attended by several governors and deputy governors, with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru also in attendance indicating that national security is top of the agenda.

The high-level gathering comes in response to rising insecurity in many regions and growing public pressure for coordinated action from both federal and state governments.