• DAWN Commission urges collaboration to safeguard S’West
• Yoruba in Diaspora berate govs, demand security action

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said that the discovery of an alleged plot by some suspected criminals in the Ondo State Government House was one of the silent victories recorded in the fight against insecurity in the state.

According to the governor, the planned attack was uncovered following intelligence received by security agencies about suspicious activities by a group of youths.

Aiyedatiwa revealed this while speaking on the security situation in the state during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, following the conviction of suspects linked to the 2022 terrorist attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo.

He said that the suspects had initially lodged in a hotel before relocating to a rented apartment, where security operatives later discovered materials and equipment believed to be connected to the planned operation.

The governor, who stressed that investigators were yet to establish the exact motive behind the alleged plot, said that the incident was an indication of the security challenges confronting the state and the need for vigilance.

He said that many successful security operations often go unnoticed because attacks were prevented before they happen.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, Dr Seye Oyeleye, has warned that governments, security agencies and stakeholders in the South-West must act decisively to prevent terrorism from taking root in the region, describing the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State as a disturbing development.

Oyeleye gave the warning during a courtesy visit by the executive members of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State, to the Commission’s headquarters in Ibadan.

The DG said the recent security challenges in parts of the South-West, particularly the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, should serve as a wake-up call to leaders across the region.

“We will keep working to ensure that such does not repeat itself. We won’t fold our hands. It is a tragic thing and a burden to us. This must not happen here again in the South-West,” he said.

According to him, allowing terrorism and organised criminality to gain a foothold in the region could have far-reaching consequences for national security and development.

The DAWN Commission boss, however, stressed the need for stronger collaboration among state governments, security agencies, traditional institutions, communities and the media to safeguard the region.

He also urged journalists to remain professional and responsible in their reportage, warning against the spread of fake news and misinformation, which he said could worsen security challenges and undermine public confidence.

Earlier, Chairman of the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Oyo State, Yinka Adeniran, commended the Commission for its commitment to regional development and called for deeper collaboration between the media and DAWN Commission.

Adeniran said journalists remain critical partners in advancing the South-West development agenda and fostering public engagement on issues affecting the region.

Also speaking, the Commission’s Head of Media Department, Segun Balogun, expressed readiness to partner with journalists through training programmes, yearly lectures and media-focused initiatives aimed at promoting development-oriented reporting across the South-West.

Relatedly, the National Association of Yoruba Descendants in North America, Egbe Omo Yoruba, North America, has chided governors in the South-West over what it described as their complacency in addressing growing insecurity in the region.

The group said it was unacceptable that children could no longer attend schools without fear of being kidnapped in a region historically known for peace, education and development.

In a communiqué issued yesterday after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council, signed by the group’s National President, Dr Ayodeji Famuyide, the organisation expressed concern over what it called the failure of political leaders to provide adequate protection for residents, particularly vulnerable schoolchildren.

According to the association, the Ogbomoso abduction underscores the urgent need for a coordinated regional security strategy to tackle kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities threatening communities across the South-West.

The group, which called on the Oyo State Government to immediately mobilise all available security resources to secure the unconditional release of the kidnapped pupils, urged traditional rulers and community leaders to set aside political affiliations and hold public officials accountable for failures in the area of security.

It also urged South-West governors to move beyond political rhetoric and develop an effective regional security mechanism capable of confronting the growing wave of insecurity, including kidnapping and banditry.

The group said that the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun Corps, would achieve little without the necessary operational equipment and resources.

It, however, renewed calls for the establishment of state police, insisting that a decentralised policing structure has become necessary to effectively combat insecurity and protect communities.