The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has accused governors in the South-West region of ignoring repeated security warnings and proposals aimed at tackling kidnapping and banditry, despite worsening attacks across the region.
Adams made the accusation on Tuesday, while reacting to the recent abduction of pupils, teachers and school workers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where one teacher was later reportedly killed by the attackers.
Key Highlights:
- Gani Adams accused South-West governors of failing to act on security warnings.
- He spoke after the recent kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oyo State.
- Adams warned that kidnapping and banditry are increasing across the South-West region.
- He said his calls for cooperation with governors on security issues were ignored.
- He urged governments and Yoruba groups to work together to improve regional security.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television Sunrise Daily, Adams said the latest incident showed that the South-West could no longer pretend insecurity was under control.
“What happened in Oriire Local Government Area in Oyo State a few days ago is very sad and highly condemnable,” he said.
According to him, although isolated kidnapping cases had been recorded in different South-West states in recent years, the latest mass abduction signalled a dangerous escalation.
“We have had a series of kidnappings in different states, but we have not witnessed mass kidnapping in Yorubaland, and that shows that the Yoruba race in the South-West must prepare for this issue of insecurity,” Adams stated.
The Yoruba leader said he had repeatedly alerted authorities about the growing activities of armed criminal groups within the region, alleging that several South-West states had already been infiltrated.
“Precisely, in November last year, I mentioned four states that these criminals had infiltrated. I mentioned Ondo State, Ekiti State, Osun State and Oyo State,” he said.
Adams further revealed that he formally wrote to South-West governors, urging them to work closely with traditional institutions and socio-cultural organisations to strengthen regional security architecture, but claimed his proposals were ignored.
“I had written to the South-West governors that there is a need for collaboration on the issue of security; all hands must be on deck on these issues. But for the past two years, they have not replied to me,” he said.
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He added that several Yoruba organisations beyond the Oodua People’s Congress were willing to collaborate with governments in combating insecurity.
“We held a world press conference on this issue about five months ago, that there is a need for the Aare Ona Kakanfo, through the Aare-in-Council and 14 different organisations, not only the Oodua People’s Congress, to collaborate with the government,” Adams said.
The activist also questioned the silence of key stakeholders amid growing security threats in the region, lamenting that some critics unfairly blamed him for worsening insecurity despite lacking constitutional control over security agencies.
Gunmen had invaded the Esiele community in Oriire Local Government Area last Friday, abducting staff and pupils from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and LGEA Primary School.
