By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
ISWAP in South west Nigeria
Some miners hiding them – Adams
•Bandits’ location known – Hunters Ogun activates security assets, recruits 1, 000 Amotekun corps
Our zone not a place for bandits – Amotekun Commanders
….Sleeper cells’ll be crushed before activated — Oyebanji’s Security Adviser
Infiltrators must be flushed out — YCE
Following the infiltration of the South-West region by suspected fleeing Islamic State in West Africa Province, ISWAP, and Boko Haram terrorists from North-West and North-East, there is uneasy calm in the region.
Many, especially in the interiors and border communities, are living in fear over the likely activities of the terrorists.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had raised the alarm that fleeing bandits and ISWAP fighters are making their way to the South, saying this may heighten insecurity.
To prevent the rise in insecurity following this development, stakeholders, including the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams; the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, Soludero Hunters’ Association and Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, have issued a stern warning to Boko Haram and ISWAP members hibernating in the region to leave the South-West now or die.
Sunday Vanguard reliably gathered that the respective state commands of the police, Amotekun and local hunters are battle-ready to confront any form of insecurity.
Miners hiding B-Haram, ISWAP members – Gani Adams
Gani Adams, who admitted that Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters are hibernating in the South-West, accused miners of hiding the terrorists.
Adams revealed that as the Yoruba generalissimo, countless letters have been written to South-West governors on the need for collaboration, adding that all has fell on deaf ears
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland said: “We are worried over the influx of Boko Haram fighters in the South-West. We have discussed at the Aare-in-Council meeting, the OPC meetings and South-West Security Stakeholders’ group.
“ The influx of northerners in Ilesha and Ile Ife is because of the mining activities going on there”, he said.
“We have seen camps of over 30,000 northerners around Ilesha and Ile Ife forests. They have created villages around there, but there are no Yoruba people living there, unfortunately, most of the communities in Ilesha have been overrun by these mining activities. It is easy for the miners to hide Boko Haram and ISWAP members. We have an influx of ISWAP members in the South-West.
“I have written to the governors that I am ready to cooperate with them on the security of Yorubaland. All hands must be on deck on security matters.
It is unfortunate that our political class play politics with the security of their states. We don’t have the intention to take the state from the governors and that is why we call it synergy.
“Since I spoke about it in January 2024, nothing has been done by the governors. As the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, the traditional Defense Minister, according to the history of Yorubaland, I have to be given a role. I cannot force myself on the governors but if they don’t give me a task, it will be difficult for me and if I try to do it, I will be intruding on governance, it can cause me problems.
Ogun adopts a multi-pronged approach
Ogun State government, on its part, said it is deeply concerned about the rising insecurity in the South-West, saying it is not leaving any stone unturned in ensuring the security of lives and property in the state.
According to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Mr Kayode Akinmade, the state government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to tackle this ugly trend effectively.
Akinmade said: “The state government is deeply concerned about the rising cases of insecurity, including terror, killings and kidnappings, and has adopted a multi-pronged approach to tackle this ugly trend effectively.
and they don’t want to disappoint the people of Ekiti State. We have learnt from our past experiences and we are battle ready.
“We have met this year to review the situation of last year and we have re-mapped and redesigned the security architecture of the state to bring it to term with the new realities.
“I’m assuring the people of Ekiti State that they are safe, they should go about their normal business without any fear.
“We are working together and synergising strategies with our immediate neighbours such as Kogi, Kwara, Ondo and Osun, sharing information on how best to combat crime and criminality in our states. We have also instructed the local government in border areas to link up with their counterparts in neighboring states and keep vigilance to nip any incursion in the bud
Vigilance and recruitment of more personnel for Amotekun Corps
”The vigilance, recruitment of locals and posting them in their respective communities have been of immense benefit to us, it has enabled us to discover sleeper cells, preempting their action before they strike. You will observe that Ekiti has been relatively peaceful for sometime now
“The Ekiti State government has put Amotekun Operatives on special salary since December, 2024; they almost have a 250 per cent increment in their salary and it’s a salary that can take anybody home.
“The allocation for their monthly grants, servicing, and fueling of their vehicles, has increased too.
Sometimes, towards the end of 2024, some vehicles were procured for Amotekun to enable them to upscale their performance. There is also a plan in the pipeline to increase their capacity, alongside other sister agencies like Agro Marshall, Peace Corps and Anti grazing Management.”
Infiltrators must be flushed out — YCE
In its reaction, Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, urged the South-West governors to flush out the bandits.
YCE, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Chief Oladipo Oyewole, said: “The infiltration of bandits into the forests of North West to Osun and Oyo states is of great concern to all.
“For anyone who knows the geography of those areas, it is porous and accessible. Those descriptions alone must be seen as a source of worry for Yorubaland.
“The YCE, having taken deep cognizance of the need for the safety of lives and properties of Nigerians, feels worried and more concerned for a need for proactive measures to assail the fear that is beginning to grip the hearts and minds of those who care! For the governors of Oyo and Osun States to have come into the open to speak about the fear means there are a lot of issues of internal security.
“Governments of Osun, Oyo and Lagos cannot and must not relax. Law enforcement agencies too must prepare. The Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, therefore, urges all agencies of government (along with both federal and states) to be proactive in this unanimous struggle to chase them out.”