Femi Ogbonnikan

The current escalating insecurity in the country is not only alarming but also calls for an urgent action from the government. At this critical juncture in our national development effort, governments at all levels (local, state and Federal) can no longer sit back and watch the growing trend of banditry, terrorism and kidnapping. It has become an existential threat that requires effective collaboration of all the stakeholders, including the citizens. To be safe, citizens too must contribute to intelligence gathering and timely release of information that can help to prevent attack of bandits or kidnappers who now see ransom-taking as a lucrative business. Everybody’s vigilance can go a long way to ward off criminal elements in our midst before they wreak havoc. They are not invincible, they are cowards.

The manner of attack by bandits and their surreptitious movement show that they are weak, cowardly, and callous. And this, of course, cuts to the heart of the psychology behind their asymmetric warfare. It shows the classic tactics of a force that knows it cannot win a direct, conventional engagement, so it resorts to terror to project power it does not actually possess.

In military strategy, a force that hides, moves only at night, or relies entirely on ambush tactics often does so because it lacks the capacity to hold ground. Bandits engage in asymmetric warfare because they know they are numerically or technologically inferior to state security forces. Their stealth is an admission that they cannot sustain a prolonged battle. If they were strong, they would occupy territory openly. Instead, they strike and run, which is a tactical admission of fragility.

True courage is often defined by facing a challenge where the odds are equal or against you, usually to protect others. Banditry is the exact opposite. Bandits almost exclusively target soft targets—unarmed civilians, travelers, or isolated villages—rather than hard targets like fortified military bases. Lying in wait to attack someone who is unprepared is the definition of a cowardly act. It relies on the victim’s vulnerability rather than the attacker’s skill. By disrupting livelihoods, farming, trade and instilling fear in entire communities, bandits show a total lack of empathy for human suffering.

When kidnapping or looting is involved, they reduce human life to a mere commodity or transaction. This detachment requires a profound hardening of the heart. As human beings like us, their tactics is to latch on the security loopholes in our communities to launch their attacks. We can contain them, if we all volunteer to be a part of community policing. Community policing means taking ownership of the security arrangement around us. It is practically impossible to have security personnel in every corner of the country. But when we all see security as our collective responsibility and ready to work with the police, the task of protecting our lives and property would become easier to handle. As it is often said, if you see something, you must say something.

On the part of the government, there is a need for a review of approach to security matters in our nation. Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, in his quick response to the security concern on Monday, November 24, 2025 held an urgent meeting with security chiefs in the state to review the current security landscape and assess emerging issues at both the state and national levels. The meeting, held in Iperu, his home town, focused on strengthening coordination among security agencies and sustaining the state’s reputation as one of the most peaceful in Nigeria.

Stressing the need for proactive measures to tackling the rising security challenge during the engagement, the governor noted that the best time to prepare for war is during a period of peace. This, he said, was necessary to sustain the Ogun State reputation as a peaceful and stable environment. He explained that maintaining this position requires proactive planning, consistent evaluation, and the implementation of measures designed to prevent threats before they arise. While similar meetings have been held in the past, he described Monday’s session as particularly crucial in reinforcing the state’s collective readiness.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to working closely with security agencies to preserve peace, enhance public safety, and ensure that Ogun State remains secure for residents, investors, and visitors.

Additionally, Abiodun assured that a robust security arrangement would be put in place to secure the state against the spiraling spate of banditry, terrorism and other heinous crimes in some parts of the country. He disclosed that the state government would soon begin the documentation of all undocumented foreign nationals working with multinational companies operating in the state. According to him, new non-indigenes entering the state for the first time would undergo proper screening by their community leaders to ensure they are not used to orchestrate violence, stressing that government must know their purpose and means of livelihood.

Addressing journalists at Iperu after a security meeting, Governor Abiodun said the measures formed part of proactive steps to safeguard lives and property across the state. He revealed that about 70 foreigners, mostly from Niger Republic, Sudan and Chad, had been arrested in recent days after failing to provide clear explanations for their presence in the State. “The law enforcement agencies have arrested, within the last three to four days, about 70 persons from Chad and Sudan who cannot even speak English and cannot explain what they are doing here.

We are going to process these individuals with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). We will also be calling on our non-indigene communities to be more vigilant so that we know who is here and why they are here,” he said.

The governor further expressed concern over the activities of scavengers, noting that they had become a security threat to communities in the state. “We discussed the issue of scavengers who have become more of a threat. Law enforcement agencies will pay particular attention to them. We will engage them to ensure they are not being used to perpetrate crimes in the state,” he added.

Prince Abiodun emphasized the need to extra vigilance to contain the rising wave of insecurity in the country, noting that as Nigeria’s industrial capital, Ogun receives more than five million daily commuters, making it crucial for government to maintain close watch on criminal elements. Accordingly, he directed the police to immediately move into areas such as “Zanga” in Ijebu-Ode and similar enclaves across the state and clear them out, warning that properties used by criminals would henceforth be seized by the government.

Speaking on the recent incident at Ajebo in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, the governor noted that security officers had visited the settlement to verify that its occupants pose no threat. He also assured that the state’s forest reserves would be thoroughly combed to prevent criminals from using them as hideouts.

Referencing the concern trends in the mining sub-sector, Governor Abiodun said the government was aware that some miners operate as miscreants, and working with security agencies to flush out criminals from mining sites and forest reserves. He appealed to residents to actively support community policing efforts by providing credible information to security agencies. “Security is not the responsibility of security agents alone. We must work with them. We must report anything suspicious so law enforcement can respond promptly. We must be observant and be our brother’s keeper,” he said.

He also assured that his administration would continue to provide the necessary logistics to security agencies and cautioned Obas and Baales against allocating government land to strangers, warning that any traditional ruler found culpable would be held accountable for undermining the state’s interest. He commended security agencies for their cooperation and synergy, which he said, had contributed significantly to the peace Ogun State currently enjoys.

The governor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for stabilizing the economy as well as his swift response to the new emerging security situation in the country, leading to the rescue of kidnapped victims in Niger and Kwara states.

Complementary to the effort of President Tinubu, security also topped the agenda of the South West Governors’ Forum at a meeting held on Monday, November 24, 2025, at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State capital. Other than security, there was equally an extensive deliberation on various issues, including agriculture, economic and regional development. The Forum’s resolutions formed part of the broader approach to the new security challenge confronting the nation. While the governors commended Mr. President for his economic reforms and other developmental agenda, they also pledged their support in the fight against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping. They particularly expressed solidarity with the Federal Government in its efforts in Kebbi, Kwara and Niger States after the recent spate of kidnappings, at the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, the Catholic institution of St. Mary’s in Papiri, Agwara LGA, Niger and the CAC Church at Eruku, Kwara State.

The meeting holds major significance as it resulted in concrete, unified, and technology-driven decisions aimed at tackling the region’s escalating security challenges and strengthening regional integration. ​The key significance lies in the creation of new joint mechanisms to secure the region and the renewed, urgent call for State Police.

​The core of the meeting’s significance was the approval of a new regional security architecture in response to rising incidents of banditry, kidnapping, and illegal mining. Their renewed demand for state police underscores the imperative of a review of the current security architecture. The governors collectively reaffirmed their long-standing support for the establishment of State Police, declaring that “The Time is Now” and the reform can no longer be delayed. This is a powerful, unified position aimed at pressuring the Federal Government to decentralize policing.

​They also agreed to set up a dedicated South West Security Fund under the DAWN Commission, to be overseen by the Special Advisers on Security from all six states. This provides a sustainable, regional financial mechanism to fund security operations and technology.

​The Forum resolved to establish a live, digital intelligence-sharing platform across all six states (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti). This platform will coordinate threat notifications and incident logs, traveller and cargo alerts and ​state-to-state rapid response.

​The governors called on the Federal Government to secure the vast forest belts used as hideouts by criminals and agreed to deploy Forest Guards with states providing personnel to reclaim these spaces from bandits and kidnappers.

They expressed deep concern over illegal mining, which threatens regional security and environment, calling for strict licensing and enforcement. They equally agreed to intensify collaboration to monitor unregulated interstate migration to prevent it from becoming a conduit for insecurity, calling for collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

​Beyond security, the meeting reaffirmed the region’s commitment to collaborative economic development and integration. The governors commended farmers for their efforts in agricultural output and reiterated the need for regional collaboration to curb food inflation.

​For regional cooperation, they welcomed the establishment of the South West Development Commission (SWDC) and praised the efforts of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN Commission) in promoting integration.

​In essence, the Ibadan meeting shifted the Forum’s focus from mere discussion to the implementation of actionable, integrated security measures backed by a dedicated fund and a digital coordination system, while collectively re-emphasizing the critical need for State Police to secure the South West region.

Properly implemented, these measures will complement the renewed effort of Governor Abiodun to make Ogun State a secure environment for all residents. We all must support the administration in our collective interest.

*Ogbonnikan is a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Ogun State Governor on Media

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