Security crisis deepens as Gani Adams claims bandits in 40 South-West LGAs

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has raised fresh concerns over what he described as the expanding presence of terrorist groups across Nigeria’s South-West geopolitical zone, alleging that at least 40 local government areas have been infiltrated.

Adams said the situation reflects a worsening security threat in the region, adding that he has consistently raised the alarm over the past two years about the influx of armed groups into Yorubaland.

Speaking in an interview, he claimed intelligence available to his office shows widespread infiltration across multiple communities in the region, which comprises 137 local government areas.

“We have 137 local government areas in the South-West, and we spotted not remnants of terrorists, but a lot of terrorists in no fewer than 40 local governments,” he said. “We have many terrorists that have infiltrated those local government areas.”

Adams also alleged that repeated attempts by his office to collaborate with governors in the South-West had not yielded results, despite ongoing security concerns.

He said his organisation had deliberately withheld some intelligence in the hope that structured engagement with state governments would produce coordinated action.

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“We kept that document to ourselves because we were more confident that working with state governments… would yield results compared to working with law enforcement agents,” he said.

He further argued that his office had spent the last two years seeking formal cooperation, but had received no meaningful response from authorities despite what he described as existing security structures and resources available to them.

On strategies to address insecurity, Adams called for a multi-layered approach involving local intelligence, community participation, and non-conventional security support.

He stressed that effective security operations should not rely solely on firearms or formal security agencies but should integrate intelligence gathering and local knowledge networks.

“You need intelligent people. You need people who can infiltrate enemy territories. You need multilingual people who can speak different languages and use that advantage to gather intelligence,” he said.

He also emphasised the importance of including hunters, community actors, and religious leaders in the security framework, arguing that different capabilities are required to combat evolving threats.

Reacting to reported efforts by local hunters to confront kidnappers responsible for the abduction of schoolchildren in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Adams said such groups often operate with limited capacity.

He, however, insisted that all factions of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and other regional groups must collaborate to strengthen the fight against insecurity.

“All hands must be on deck to confront these criminals,” he said. “Security is not always about carrying sophisticated arms.”

His comments come in the wake of renewed attacks in parts of the South-West. On May 15, armed men reportedly stormed schools and surrounding communities in Oriire LGA of Oyo State, abducting pupils, students, and teachers.

The affected institutions included Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Esin Ele, all within the Ogbomoso axis.

Similar incidents have also been reported in parts of Ondo State in recent months, raising concerns over the spread of violent criminal activity in the region.