Sanwo-Olu, Gbenga Daniel, Lai Mohammed Urge Concerted Efforts Against Insecurity

Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Senator Gbenga Daniel and former minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, have stressed the need for concerted efforts to tackle insecurity rocking the country.

They said the nation’s security situation would shape the 2027 general elections.
They spoke at the 7th yearly lecture of Freedom Online, held in Lagos yesterday, with the theme, “2027 elections, Economy, Security and Nigeria’s Future.”

Sanwo-Olu, who was the special guest speaker at the event, said that in communities where banditry and insurgency persist, insecurity will determine whether a candidate can campaign, whether the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can move in voting materials, or whether voters will come out to vote.

The governor, who said another issue is the matter of perception, added that people vote on how safe they feel, saying, “And I believe Nigerians can see, because they are not blind, that this president has taken the security of this country as seriously as any Commander -in- Chief since 1999.

“Consider what has been done in three years. In July, the president approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight divisions to 12, with 28,000 additional personnel and new divisional headquarters in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, closer to the theatres where they are needed,” Sanwo-Olu explained.

He stated that in order for insecurity to be reduced to the barest minimum, the president supported the Bill for the creation of state police, an initiative he said Lagos State has started by setting up Lagos State Security Trust Fund, whereby poll contributions from the private sector and the state are put together to equip the police and other agencies that keep the state safe.

Sanwo-Olu said the president’s move to reduce insecurity has also improved the economy, as it has grown from 3.89 per cent to 4.43 per cent, while the Agriculture sector has grown from 2.82 per cent to 4.6 per cent.

In his address, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was the chairman of the occasion, said it is important to note, first, that security is the precondition for economic growth.

“No business thrives in an atmosphere of uncertainty, and no foreign or local investor deploys capital where safety cannot be guaranteed. In turn, political stability depends on economic inclusion. When young people are gainfully employed and see a clear path to self-actualisation, the political space becomes far less susceptible to manipulation and electoral violence

‘’For seven years running, Freedom Online has kept faith with a simple but increasingly rare commitment: to inform without fear and to provoke thought without malice.

“Second, the 2027 election must be viewed not merely as a contest for power, but as a commitment to continuity and nation-building. Politics must never be allowed to override governance. The real measure of our democratic progress is whether our electoral outcomes strengthen institutions, bolster investor confidence and guarantee peace across our communities.

“The efforts being made by the administration to stabilise the economy, attract investment, improve security and create a more sustainable foundation for growth deserve constructive engagement from all stakeholders,” he said.

Mohammed noted the media have a crucial role to play in the sustenance of democracy, saying, “having spent a considerable part of my public life in public communication, I have come to appreciate that the media is not merely an observer of national events. It is an important participant in shaping the national conversation. In an election season, that responsibility becomes even greater. The media has the power to inform citizens, interrogate claims, expose falsehoods and provide a platform for competing ideas.”

Senator Daniel, in his own submission, said Nigeria cannot have a strong economy without security, and it cannot have lasting security without a strong economy, stressing that the two are inseparable.

He explained that Nigeria’s economy has shown encouraging signs, including growth of 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, with agriculture and services showing improvement.

He explained that the true test of economic progress is not only what appears in GDP figures, but what Nigerians experience in their daily lives.

“Security is not merely a matter for the military, police and other agencies. It is also an essential part of economic infrastructure, “Daniel said.

Earlier, the publisher of Freedom Online, Mr Gabriel Akinadewo, said the need to match political activities in the country with rapid development informed the lecture.

“We are here to draw a line between governance and politics. When does politics stop? When does development start? When are we going to stop playing politics with development? In a few months, on 29 May 2027, Nigeria will have 28 years of unbroken civilian administration, a milestone in the history of the most populous black nation.

“It can be argued that politically the country is forging ahead, but what of other sectors? The task before us today is very simple. We can’t continue to use the system adopted in the 60s to govern Nigeria of 2026 and beyond. By 2027, we must modernise our laws to adapt to the challenges of the 21st century.”

Also speaking at the event, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, said there was a need to strengthen institutions, and that this is the only way the economy will grow and attract investors.

“We need to have transparent elections, but elections have further polarised us. Our institutions should be strengthened so that people will have confidence in the system. We must speak truth to power. We have no other country; we believe in the country.”