In the wake of reports of infiltration of the South West by terrorists, the governors announced a plan to jointly counter any form of threat to life and property in the region. The move is vital and about the greatest responsibility imposed on the governors by the constitution of the country.
Indeed, safety of life and property of the people should not be negotiable. Wherever people live in constant fear of being killed at any time and their possessions constantly prone to destruction by criminal elements, it is adjudged that the government in place has failed. It is on this note that the governors are strongly advised to ensure that the current plan does not go the way of previous ones that promised much but achieved little in the face of escalating insecurity.
As the chief security officers of their respective states, the governors must exhibit the political will to frontally tackle the security challenges in the region. The public want onslaught on criminal elements in their hideouts across Yoruba land.
Of recent, Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), under the aegis of South West Governors’ Forum met at the Government House, Ikeja, Lagos to discuss how to practically respond to the reported infiltration of the South West by terrorists who are being flushed out of the North West and North East forests by the military. Chairman of the forum, Governor Sanwo-Olu said there was agreement to establish a joint surveillance monitoring team that will coordinate security efforts across Yoruba land. The task of the team will mainly be to combat all forms of banditry and other crimes, in collaboration with the police, other federal security agencies and local security outfits. For success of the planned operation, the states will deploy advanced technology, including area surveillance security systems. Each state is to appoint a special adviser on security to serve in the team. There will be priority for intelligence gathering for identification of criminals’ hideout and prompt action against them.
Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) provides that ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.’
The constitution designates the governor as the chief security officer of the state, though the security arrangement in the country places the police force as instrument to prevent and detect crime, maintain law and order, and protect people and their property, under the control of the Federal Government. Unfortunately the country is not being effectively and adequately policed, leading to frequent and unjust killing of innocent citizens by criminals who operate freely and successfully most times as if they are higher in number than the nation’s security operatives. Besides, some of the governors themselves have not exhibited adequate political will to tackle the security challenges in their domains.
When the South West governors collectively established the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) codenamed ‘Amotekun’ in January 2020 to collaborate with the police to curtail influx of terrorists, kidnappers and violent herdsmen from the northern part of the country to forests and farmlands in the region, hope of a safer Yoruba land was rekindled. Really, by that time, a special security measure was highly needed to protect the South West amid rising insecurity in the country accentuated by indiscriminate killing, kidnapping, banditry and destruction of farmlands. It is disappointing that some of the governors failed to give security the seriousness it deserves. It took years before some of them could inaugurate Amotekun Corps to begin operation in their domains. So far, the ‘Amotekun’ security outfit has been poorly funded. In some states, there is no budget for its operations.
It is obvious today that Amotekun’s can do more to reduce crime rate. According to data from the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST), of the Council of Foreign Affairs, no fewer than 145 persons were kidnapped , 178 killed by non-state actors in Yoruba land in 2021, a year after Amotekun was established. Also, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed a surge in kidnapping incidents in the South West between May 2023 and May 2024. It was reported that in 2024, over N248 million was paid as ransom to kidnappers while several monarchs were kidnapped and killed in the region. Other prominent individuals and travellers on the highway were not spared. Only recently, the wife of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Hakeem Odumosu (rtd), Folashade was abducted at the gate of her residence at Arepo area of Ogun State. Also recently, some suspected herders invaded farmlands in Ajegunle Powerline Community in Akure North Local Council of Ondo State, killing five workers. It was reported that the criminals had a field day perpetrating their heinous crime in the community.
Indeed, the reason government exists is primarily for protection and wellbeing of the people. There should be nothing more important in governance than ensuring safety of life and property of the citizens. That alone is a precursor of development. Any leader, elected or appointed, who fails to give special attention to this crucial task fails the people, the constituents and will not be worthy of record in history.
This time, the people of South West want to see the political will of the governors to enforce the laws against whatever has been outlawed in the land. Open grazing of cattle has been banned through properly enacted laws, but it is still thriving in some South West states. Herdsmen are still invading farms and destroying crops on which farmers had spent millions of naira; people are still being kidnapped in their homes and on the highways and made to pay millions of naira in ransom; young Nigerians, especially girls, are being killed frequently for ritual purposes; many farmers can’t go to their farms to produce food; people live in constant fear of either being killed, kidnapped or robbed of their possessions. The governors are challenged to prove to the world that they value the lives of their people and are bothered by their welfare. This should be displayed by way of action, not political statements.
