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.

That is why I am being careful. I wrote letters last year to all the governors but there was no reply. If they don?t respond, we will continue to do the little we can do underneath but history will judge all of us. Anywhere you see terrorists, it is always about mineral resources, they scare the people away and cause a crisis in the area.

?We have the structure, the assets and some of the best brains who can be helpful to the South West. As far I am concerned, the ball is left in the court of the governors to do the needful.?

Asked whether there has been any form of collaboration between the OPC and Amotekun corps, Adams said: ?When Amotekun was founded, OPC members, vigilantes, hunters and other private security groups were recruited but it was not enough. For instance, Oyo State is big, you cannot say 1,000 Amotekun corps can cover such a vast state. They will need like 30,000 personnel. Unfortunately, the governor can only cater for only 2000 personnel, but we can back it up with relevant security groups coordinated by my office.

?If you say I should not take charge, I will step back but mind you, I always do some behind-the-scenes spiritual work on securing Yorubaland because I don?t want the issue to go out of hand.

?Even if I do some behind the scenes spiritual work and I am not involved in strategy, it is not enough.?

Bandits? location known ? Hunters

In Oyo State, sources said the state government, hunters and OPC members are aware of the location of the bandits and terrorists.

Giving insights to this, the National President of Soludero Hunters? Association, Oba Nureni Akintola Anabi, said all hunters know where the bandits could be hibernating and they are ready to smoke them out if adequately mobilised.

Akintola noted that though Governor Seyi Makinde is yet to invite the hunters, they know all nooks and crannies of the forest.

He said: ?As hunters, who are familiar with all nooks and crannies of the forest, we know where the bandits could be hiding. We are awaiting the directives from President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde and the police. Once we get their approval, we will move into all the forests and arrest these terrorists.?

He added that the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, had already contacted him to support them to locate the bandits.

?The Civil Defense Corps have called me to support them and we are ready to join forces with them. We have been hunting in these forests for ages and we know where they should be,? he said.

Ogun activates security assets

In Ogun State, a reliable source in the command told Sunday Vanguard that the state government, in collaboration with the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has activated all human and material assets to keep the state safe and prevent bandits and terrorists from entering the state.

The source, in a chat with Vanguard, said: ?The command has activated all human and material assets to keep Ogun State safe. All Area Commanders and DPOs in the state have been alerted to keep vigilant in their various jurisdictions.?

He added that the command is also working in synergy with other security agencies both within and outside the state to ensure law and order are not breached.

Also speaking, the State Deputy Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Alao Olusola, said the group has been partnering with the police to ensure the security of lives and property in the State.

Olusola said: ?As members of OPC, we are partnering with the police in our different areas to fight the insecurity in our areas.

?If government in the South-West can give us a go-ahead to fight insecurity and give us necessary support, we are ready to flush out all criminal elements in the region.?

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.

?The state government has adopted some strategies, which include strengthening security infrastructure, through the establishment of a well-equipped joint task force; comprising police, military and local vigilantes for intelligence-driven operations.?

He added that the state government has also adopted a community policing system, through the ?empowerment of local security outfits, such as the Amotekun Corps, to support law enforcement agencies in securing rural and urban areas.?

1,000 Amotekun corps recruited

In the area of local security forces, he said Governor Dapo Abiodun has approved recruitment of an additional 1,000 personnel for the corps to further strengthen security across the nooks and crannies of the state.

On the arrangements to counter the infiltration of the undesired elements, the state government, he said, is ?conducting regular verification and registration of commercial motorcyclists to distinguish legitimate operators from criminal elements.

?Implementing skills acquisition programs and providing alternative livelihoods to reduce reliance on informal or illegal activities.

?To prevent criminals from using rented properties as hideouts, the government has mandated house owners to register tenants with local authorities.

?In summary, the state government remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents through robust policies, community collaboration, and effective law enforcement. Security is a collective responsibility, and we urge every citizen to play their part by staying vigilant and cooperating with the authorities.?

South West not a place for bandits, Amotekun commanders vow

In Ondo State, security operatives have assured that they are on top of the situation.

Speaking on the infiltration of the region by fleeing terrorists, the chairman of Amotekun in the South-West, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, hinted that the planned joint security patrol of forests in South-West to be embarked upon by Amotekun is ?to flush out bandits who have invaded the region.?

Adeleye, who is the Ondo State Commander of the security outfit, said Amotekun security rangers have been deployed at strategic positions in the forest reserves in the region even before the influx of the bandits.

He said: ?We are determined to stop the influx and drive away those that have sneaked into the region.

?The region is not home for criminals. We have put in place another strategy that I won?t want to disclose for security reasons.

?What?s certain is that we are on top of the situation and ready to protect our people against these criminals.

?The South-West is not a place for them to hide or stay, we will smoke them out and send them away. The breaches at our borders had reduced as a result of the activities of the Amotekun.?

Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Security Matters, Olugbenga Atiba, said that the state government is taking proactive measures to address the wave of insecurity in the state.

Atiba said: ?We have provided adequate logistic support to security agencies operating in the state to ensure they are well-equipped to tackle any security challenges.

?We have also asked residents to make security their top priority by being mindful of the information they share on social media and avoiding putting too much information about their personal lives online.

?Also, we have been conducting regular joint border patrols with neighboring states to prevent the influx of bandits into our state.

?We are committed to ensuring the safety and security of our citizens, and we will continue to work tirelessly to curb the growing menace. We?ll make the state too hot for criminals.?

Corroborating what the Amotekun commander said, the state police commissioner, Wilfred Afolabi, said security across the state has been beefed up to stop infiltration of bandits.

Afolabi, who declined to specify security measures put in place, said that the state police command has been collaborating with other security personnel to arrest the ugly situation.

The police chief said: ?There is no hiding place for persons with criminal tendencies in any part of the state. Our men are alert to nip in the bud any security challenge in any part of the state.?

Sleeper cells?ll be extricated, crushed before activated ?Ekiti State govt

Speaking with Vanguard in Ado-Ekiti, the Special Adviser on Security to Ekiti State Governor, General Ebenezer Ogundana, retd, said his office is aware of the situation and strategies being put in place ensure that the infiltrators are stopped before they advance through the borders and their sleeper cells are extricated and crushed before they are activated.

On what the South-West governors have resolved to do, he said: ?The governors of have resolved that they won?t allow any of these terrorists to use South-West as a base to destabilise the region.

?Governor Oyebanji has given security agencies in the state a marching order to ensure that we don?t have miscreants around us here.

?In Ekiti, we are already making adequate provision for any unforeseen circumstances. I want to assure that we are even reinforcing it because of this new development, we have already made adequate provisions to contain them when they come to Ekiti.

?All the security agencies in the state, including the Amotekun Corps, Agro Rangers are already aware, we have put them on high alert, we have also informed our people in the border communities to notify us of any strange movements or faces in their areas.

?We are engaging the local government chairmen and traditional rulers and the local hunters to be watchful, we are putting eyes on miscreants? possible hotspots, because if we don?t allow them to build up, there?s no way for them to break out.

?We have also organised intelligence gathering, training in martial arts and indigenous defence mechanisms in case of critical situations when the weapon falls, they can still defend themselves.

?From the outset, all the security personnel work within their community, they are localized, they stay in their local government, it?s only when they want to use them for special operations that they go out; all of these people are based in their respective local governments.

?This is because they know the link between the people and they know how they are able to identify who is coming in and who is going out.

?We also prepare them locally for their own protection because they are local forces.

?Security agencies in the state are trying their best to meet Oyebanji?s expectations 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.? (Sunday Vanguard)

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