The influx of bandits into the South West, especially Oyo State, has raised concerns in the last two weeks, with the South-West security outfit, Amotekun, assuring the people of the region that there is no cause for alarm.

The security organization said it is wide awake to its responsibility and knows what is at stake.

Speaking to SUNDAY INDE?PENDENT at the weekend, the state Commandant of Amotekun, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (Rtd), noted that several steps are being implemented to curb the influx of bandits in Oyo State and else?where in the South-West.

He said: ?We have increased surveillance by enhancing monitoring of border areas and vulnerable points through joint operations involving the police, military, and local vigilante groups.

?Community engagement ini?tiatives have been established to foster collaboration between law enforcement and local communities, encouraging the gathering of intelligence and promoting the reporting of suspicious activities.

?Intelligence sharing among security agencies has been prioritised to ensure a coordinated response to bandit activities.

?Additionally, we have strengthened law enforcement by deploying more personnel and resources to areas identified as hotspots for banditry.?

He added: ?Public awareness campaigns are underway to educate the public on safety mea?sures and to encourage commu?nity vigilance to deter bandit activity.

?Furthermore, we are advo?cating stronger laws and policies that address the root causes of banditry and provide law en?forcement with more robust tools to combat it.

?Collaboration with neighbouring states is also being pursued to create a unified front against banditry and improve security along state borders.

?All these steps are aimed to restore peace and safety in Oyo State while addressing the underlying issues contributing to the rise of banditry.?

The Afenifere socio-cultural organization recently called on governments in the South West to prioritise security of the region in view of the latest reports on the influx of bandits into the region.

The body made the call in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, following the disclosure by the Oyo State governor, Engineer Oluwaseyi Makinde, that bandits being dislodged in the northern part of Nigeria were camping in parts of Oyo State.

According to Afenifere, a disclosure of this nature coming from the Chief Security Officer of a state is not something to be treated with levity.

It therefore called on all the governors of the South Western States to, ?as a matter of urgency, hold a meeting to map out strategies to expel the bandits from the region and to ensure that such elements do not infiltrate Yorubaland at any time again?.

While urging security agen?cies and citizens not to take the is?sue of security lightly, Ajayi concluded by saying that traditional rulers and community leaders in different parts of Yorubaland should not keep quiet whenever they notice any indication sug?gestive of security threat.

?For example, until the gover?nor made the revelation on Monday, such grave security danger was unknown to members of the public, yet there are people living in the Fashola area where the bandits were reported to have established a camp.

?It is not unlikely that similar camps could be found in some other parts of the South West, hence the need for urgent and effective action,? Afenifere stated.

Recall that Governor Ma?kinde, while speaking at the 2025 annual inter-faith service for workers held at the Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, on Monday, Jan?uary 6, disclosed that bandits being dislodged from the North-West of Nigeria were infiltrating his state.

Governor Makinde said: ?During a security briefing this morning, I learned that some bad elements from the North-West are relocating here due to military heat in their zones.?

To underscore the seriousness of the issue, the governor had related his own personal experience when he observed his quiet birthday ceremony at the Oyo State Agribusiness Industrial Hub, Fashola, near Oyo Alaafin, towards the end of December.

?During my birthday retreat in Fashola, I was briefed that bandits had camped less than two kilometres away from where I was staying. This underscores the seriousness of the situation,? he had said.

Fashola is a very crucial set?tlement in Oyo State because of its economic importance and value to the state.

It houses the state?s Agri?business Industrial Hub where numerous investors, foreign and indigenous, have invested their money running into billions of naira into agribusiness. (Sunday Independent: Text, Excluding Headline)

Update news