Yoruba Groups Demand State Policing to Tackle Southwestern Insecurity

Groups advocating for self-determination in the Southwest, operating under the Yoruba Assembly umbrella, have voiced significant worries about the deteriorating security conditions in their area. They argue that the primary way to tackle issues like frequent kidnappings, widespread banditry, and escalating criminal activities across the nation is by forming state police forces.

On Thursday, during a two-day conference titled "Western Nigeria Global Summit on Security and Livelihood, Lagos-Jebba-Warri," held in Lagos, representatives from these self-determination organizations voiced their stance publicly. The event attracted participants from various parts of the region. Additionally, they requested the Southwest governors' backing for the creation of state police forces.

The speakers at the summit, which included the Lead Convener Comrade Wale Oshun, Comrade Adewale Adeoye, Rasaq Olokooba, Prince Eniola Ojajuni who serves as the President of the Afenifere National Youth Council, Comrade Akinpelu Adesina, Deji Omotoyinbo, Dr. Olatunde Hamzat, and several others, emphasized that it was crucial for the Yoruba people to unite in order to tackle the security issues plaguing their area.

Despite stressing that there shouldn’t be any more room for excuses, the different speakers also called upon state governors and local government chairmen to assume roles as Chief Security Officers (CSOs) within their respective jurisdictions. They emphasized that anyone who fails to ensure safety in their area would face accountability if any security issues arise.

The Chief Organizer of the summit, Comrade Oshun, acknowledged the severe security issues plaguing the area but emphasized that significant efforts were needed to safeguard the Southwest. He stated that one of the primary motivations behind organizing this gathering was the ongoing uncontrolled violence and murders within the region.

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Oshun, who requested a moment of silence to honor former Governor Rotimi Akeredodu of Ondo State, expressed concern over the troubling situation where current security assessments indicated that kidnappers associated with Fulani herders have established 53 encampments within the southwestern forest regions.

He further noted that statistics indicated that funds available to kidnappers as ransom collected from those kidnapped in the last year amounted to ₦2.2 trillion. He expressed the belief that the largest part of the money must have come from victims kidnapped in the Southwest region, with more than 77 per cent of people kidnapped being from rural areas—a situation which, he said, had made many farmers stop going to their farms due to fear of being kidnapped or killed.

Oshun stated that the creation of State Police had become imperative if the government was strongly committed to putting an end to the spate of insecurity and kidnapping in the region. He stressed that only State Police could effectively secure the region, as they would be more familiar with the terrain.

One of the conveners, Comrade Adeoye, in his speech, lamented the security challenges facing the region, recalling that Southwest forests had, in the past, been a huge resource, “but not anymore because of the security threats.”

As per his statement, the area had faced an invasion, mentioning that the inhabitants of the Southwest were weary of what he characterized as armed intruders and roving terrorist groups. He stressed the critical necessity to tackle this threat, noting that this was precisely what the summit aimed to accomplish.

“For the past 15 years, agricultural and farm produce have suffered a serious decline due to the activities of those who are bent on taking our land from us. Going to the farm is not easy anymore,” he said.

Additionally, Comrade Olokooba emphasized that the purpose of self-determination is to protect the nation’s citizens. He urged the Federal Government to provide support and recognition to all authorized and registered security organizations across the country, equipping them to safeguard the populace from external threats such as kidnappings.

Prince Ojajuni, on his part, demanded urgent action to put a stop to what he termed “this lawlessness of the Fulani herdsmen.”

The young member of Afenifere, who was recently freed from the captors' hideout, mournfully recounted that out of their group, nine individuals were abducted by Fulani herders and forced to walk for miles through the forest with no particular endpoint in mind.

“That was how we started the journey that lasted for several days,” he said.

He additionally claimed that payments of ransom money occurred near check points prior to his eventual release by the captors.

Each leader of the Yoruba people and residents of this area needs to stand up and tackle the security issues in the Southwest. Were Governor Rotimi Akeredolu present today, he would likely have united all the southwestern governors to deal with the prevailing security conditions in the region.

"Their main focus is safeguarding the lives and possessions of their community members. The Fulani herders informed me that they have a total of 23 camps situated in the southwestern region. Now is the time for the Yoruba people to rise up and protect our land," he stated.

The leader of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Comrade Akinpelu Adesina, during his speech, advocated for the creation of a Southwest Security Trust Fund aimed at enabling the area to sufficiently fund the Amotekun security organization.

He stated that implementing this plan would allow the security organization to fulfill its mission of safeguarding the Southwest region from the intruders, who, as he mentioned, aimed to seize control of Yoruba territory.

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