Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum Demands Southern Presidency and State Police to Address 70 Percent Ungoverned Territory

The SMBLF has called for the 2027 presidency to be zoned to the South and demanded state police to reclaim the 70% of Nigeria that remains ungoverned.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 26, 2026, 4:33 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Sun Nigeria

A Strategic Call for Regional Political Succession

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has formally reignited the debate over power rotation by demanding that the 2027 presidency be zoned exclusively to Southern Nigeria. Meeting at the PANDEF Liaison Office in Abuja, the group argued that this arrangement is essential for national democratic culture and political stability. Chairman Oba Oladipo Olaitan emphasized that because the previous eight year tenure was held by a Northern leader, the current Southern cycle must be respected by all political parties during their upcoming conventions and congresses.

Alarming Statistics on National Territorial Security

A primary focus of the forum’s deliberations was the "renewed unabated state of insecurity" that has effectively paralyzed large swaths of the country. The SMBLF highlighted a critical data point, asserting that more than 70 percent of Nigeria’s national territorial space currently remains ungoverned or unmanned by formal security personnel. While the group expressed confidence in the technical capacity of the Nigerian armed forces, they noted that the current number of officers under arms is mathematically insufficient to manage the enormity of the geographical challenges facing the nation.

The Urgent Mandate for State and Community Policing

To address the intelligence gap inherent in centralized security structures, the SMBLF has called for the immediate establishment of state and community police. Oba Olaitan argued that security thrives on local intelligence, which federal forces cannot easily replicate in rural or remote areas. The forum has already moved beyond rhetoric by appointing a 12 member committee of security experts to draft a framework for decentralized policing. This position aligns with recent policy discussions led by President Bola Tinubu regarding the necessity of local law enforcement.