By Ed Malik, A | ed@ddnewsonline.com | posted January 15th, 2025
The South-West region of Nigeria is taking proactive measures to address the reported influx of bandits and Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters into its forests. This situation, exacerbated by military pressure in the North-West forcing these elements to flee, has heightened security concerns across the region.
The governors of the region have united in treating this situation as a regional security emergency. With coordinated efforts, collaboration among security agencies, and involvement from local groups like the OPC, the region aims to prevent further escalation.
Recall that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, during the 2025 annual inter-faith service in Ibadan, the state’s capital, warned, revealing that there is intelligence about the migration of “bad elements” from the North-West into Oyo State but assured that the state would address this threat decisively.
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In a coordinated collaborative move to bolster complement defences, the government of Ogun State swiftly reacted, saying that it has contacted security agencies, including the military and police, to address the security risk.
In Osun State, their vigilance paid off with the Department of State Services (DSS) arresting and detaining 10 suspected ISWAP members in Ilesa. A Federal High Court in Abuja granted a 60-day detention order for further investigations, underscoring the seriousness of the threat.
The regional socio-cultural body, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has weighed in also. The group urged all six South-West governors to prioritize the eradication of terrorist camps in Yoruba land forests. They offered assistance to security agencies in combating the menace.
In bold support of the other states, the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who doubles as the chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, emphasized inter-state collaboration. He highlighted that his office receives regular intelligence updates and coordinates with counterparts in Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, and Ekiti states.
Sanwo-olu, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, stated that; “There is no empirical evidence that there are bandits in the South-West but on matters of security, you can never be over-prepared.”
“The governor is receiving intelligence reports on different matters and he is in consultation with other governors from the South-West on how best to tackle the growing concern over security issues in the region,” Akosile told our correspondent in an interview.
“If you recall the inaugural meeting of the South-West Governors Forum, one of the major topics raised at the meeting was the security of the region, so they’ve been meeting on some of the ways to checkmate insecurity in the South-West.
“Basically, they’re studying the situation and there will be something done at the end of the day,” he added.
Speaking on the security situation, the Oyo State government assured residents that he would leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety of everyone in the state.
The government, during a press briefing after the state’s joint security council meeting on Tuesday, said all hands were on deck to fish out the bandits and use the instrumentality of the law to deal with them.
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The Special Adviser on Security to Oyo State Governor, Fatai Owoseni, in a statement by the Special Adviser (Media) to Oyo State Governor, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, urged the people to go about their lawful activities without any fear.
Owoseni said with the robust synergy among the security agencies in the state, the bandits and other criminal elements had nowhere to hide.
He also confirmed that Oyo was collaborating with neighbouring states in the region to secure its borders and guard against the influx of bandits.
He noted that to strengthen the security network in the state, the council would hold expanded meetings that would incorporate local government chairmen as well as traditional rulers.
“The essence of this is to ensure that we take security to the grassroots. The local government administration is the third tier of government and is the closest to the people.
“In the same vein, traditional rulers are close to the people and know most people in their domains.
“By integrating them into the security network, we are taking security to the grassroots and carrying everyone along. Security is everybody’s business and we all have a role to play in ensuring that our state is safe from the antics of bandits and other criminal elements,” Owoseni said.
He said that the council also discussed decongesting correctional centres, adding that the state would invoke its power of prerogative of mercy to set free some of the inmates.
Also, the Osun State government said it was providing necessary support for security agencies to make the state unsafe for suspected terrorists and other criminals.
It assured residents that efforts were being geared towards keeping the state safe.
Speaking in an exclusive chat with The PUNCH, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Mr Samuel Ojo, disclosed that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration’s support for security agencies led to the arrest of suspected ISWAP members in their attempt to establish the group in Osun.
Ojo said “If the government is not working, will they (ISWAP members) be arrested? So, the government is assisting the security agencies to ensure that criminals are arrested and sent away from our state.
“The state is not a place for any criminal and that is why they were nabbed at the earliest stage.”
Allaying fears of possible infiltration by terrorists hiding in neighbouring states to Osun, Ojo, who demanded timely intelligence from the people, particularly residents of boundary communities, said security agencies were working hard to provide security for lives and properties.
The government also said 84 illegal migrants were arrested while entering the state, adding that those arrested could not explain their mission.
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Ojo said Immigration operatives intercepted the foreigners and, after checks, they were made to return to their country through Cross River State.
When asked if those reportedly arrested had been profiled to get further details about them, Ojo said, “Nobody was intercepted from the North. The immigration arrested about 84 migrants and they have been transported back to their country through Cross-River State.
He, however, did not disclose the country where the illegal immigrants came from.
The Corps Commander of Osun Amotekun Corps, Mr Adekunle Omoyele, said the agency had received full support from the state government, adding that the operatives were motivated and supported to fight insecurity.
“In Osun State, the governor is fulfilling his promises to Amotekun by providing substantial funding. He has purchased motorcycles for the corps, which have been distributed across the state commands.
“Additionally, he has promised to procure more patrol vehicles to complement the ones already in use. The corps members are satisfied with the current state of Osun Amotekun.
The OPC, in a statement by its President, Wasiu Afolabi, on Sunday urged all the six governors of the southwest to treat as a security emergency, the building of camps inside forests by insurgents and terrorists fleeing the North.
“These foreign Fulani terrorists have always said that after conquering the North, the South will be next. Now it is happening.
“But the OPC is ready to let these evil dreamers know that Yorubaland can never be conquered or occupied by foreign invaders. Let the six governors of Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti states invite us to deal with this menace today before it is too late.
“We have the men and capacity to confront these foreign invaders physically, militantly, technologically and spiritually. All we are demanding from South-West governors is the necessary invitation, equipment and support to do what is needed to wipe out this menace of foreign criminals,” Afolabi said.
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Traditional rulers in the southwest have advocated for proactive steps by the governors and security agencies, advocating that the traditional institutions be involved in efforts to rid the region of infiltrating extremists.
The Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, whose domain is located at the Ekiti and Kwara boundary with Osun, said traditional rulers must impress it on their subjects to be vigilant.
“The traditional institution is extremely important when it comes to security at Oke-Ila Orangun and Ifedayo Local Government Area axis. It is crucial because it leads to Ekiti and Kwara states, and security matters are always capital intensive.
“We are alive to our responsibility, we just want the government to know the importance of that area. Without security, we cannot talk about development.
“We are vigilant and we tell our people to also be vigilant because internal vigilance is the greatest form of security. We are trying to make it open, and at the same time, participatory, so that people will know the importance of being alive to their responsibilities and have eagle-eye and monitor the movement of people 24 hours a day,” Oba Abolarin said.
The Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, said traditional rulers were worried about the reported influx of bandits into the southwest.
Oba Ajayi said it would be wise for the head of each community to be more proactive and take security more seriously than ever before.
“We are alarmed and worried, we are very well concerned over this reported influx of bandits. Yes, we know who the constitutional chief security officer is, but in reality, we also know that the traditional rulers are the chief security of their respective domains.
“So, it will be wise for each domain to also do something and be more proactive about their security beyond the police and even the Amotekun. We have our own special arrangements that work with other security agencies.
“We have that intelligence as well but we are not sleeping over it. The word is eternal vigilance. We can’t afford another insurgency.
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“That brings up the issue of state policing. It is part of what we should do to fight crime to a standstill in the country,” he said, The Olowo of Owo Kingdom, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, expressed concern over the development, promising that traditional rulers would give their support to the government in taming the criminals.
The south west governors appeared to have looked at the broader implications of influx of bandits and ISWAP fighters into South-West Nigeria highlights the ripple effect of military operations in other regions. It underscores the importance of a holistic national security approach that includes intelligence sharing, inter-agency cooperation, and community engagement.
With coordinated efforts, collaboration among security agencies, and involvement from local groups like the OPC, the region aims to prevent further escalation.
This evolving situation will require continuous vigilance, collaboration, and swift action to protect lives and maintain peace in the South-West region.