Governor Abiodun outlines Ogun economic plans and state police needs

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has highlighted two major developmental priorities for Nigeria: regional economic transformation and the implementation of state police.

Regarding economic growth, Abiodun stated that Ogun East is poised to become a major economic hub. This transformation is expected to be driven by industrial expansion, airport development, road infrastructure, and the proposed Gateway Deep Sea Port and Blue Marine Special Economic Zone in Ogun Waterside. These projects aim to enhance Nigeria’s maritime trade, logistics, and manufacturing capabilities.

On the issue of national security, Abiodun, who chairs the Southern Governors' Forum, argued that Nigeria requires approximately 554,353 additional personnel to effectively staff a proposed state police system. Using a United Nations benchmark of one officer per 414 citizens, he suggested a recruitment rate of roughly 184,784 officers annually over three years. He emphasized that security is a local matter and called for a dedicated fund to ensure that states with lower internal revenue can still afford to maintain adequate policing capabilities.