By Godwin Obi
The South-West region has gone on high security alert following a deadly surge of bandit and terrorist attacks in neighbouring Kwara State that left scores of villagers, vigilantes, and traditional rulers dead.
Security chiefs across Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo confirmed to Frontline Reporters on Thursday that they had activated robust containment strategies to block fleeing terrorists from infiltrating their territories as military operations intensify in Kwara.
Federal intelligence reports revealed that bandits who launched multiple deadly raids on Kwara communities were attempting to push southwards. Sources said the development has triggered high-level consultations within government circles, with directives already issued for massive deployments along border towns.
Trail of Blood in Kwara
In just two weeks, Kwara has been drenched in blood. On September 29, suspected bandits slaughtered 12 forest guards and a traditional chief in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun LGA, injuring four others. Barely a week earlier, terrorists stormed Maganiko Ndanangi in Edu LGA, abducting a woman and a teenage girl in a midnight raid that forced residents to flee.
Another brutal onslaught on Sunday left 15 vigilantes, a monarch, and several residents dead, with five others whisked away by the marauders. The violence has sparked mass displacement, with thousands of terrified villagers abandoning their homes for safer towns.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who visited Oke-Ode on Thursday with top security chiefs, condemned the attacks and appealed for calm. Fighter jets and ground forces have since been deployed to hunt down the assailants.
South-West Fortifies Borders
Determined to prevent a spillover, South-West security outfits are mobilising heavily.
- In Oyo State, Amotekun Commander Col. Olayinka Olayanju (rtd.) assured that the state was fortified and “fully prepared” for any infiltration attempt.
- Osun State Police confirmed the deployment of seven tactical teams to communities bordering Kwara, with traditional rulers tasked to alert security agencies at the first sign of trouble.
- In Ondo State, police announced a massive reinforcement of checkpoints and intelligence operations across border towns.
- Ekiti State’s Security Adviser, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (rtd.), disclosed that a coordinated operation with Kwara, Oyo, and Osun is already underway, vowing: “Ekiti will not be a safe haven for fleeing bandits.”
Royal Intervention
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has also waded into the crisis, offering collaboration with Kwara’s government and recalling Yoruba’s historic ties of peaceful coexistence with Fulani communities. He urged urgent, decisive action to halt the carnage, warning that security complacency could destabilise the entire region.
National Security Angle
Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa has ordered troops to flush out the criminals, warning that terrorism and banditry are not just threats to Nigeria but to the entire Sahel. He called for regional cooperation, community vigilance, and stronger public support, stressing: “At the end of the day, we must find the bad guys and take them out. That’s the only way to have peace.
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