After last week’s bandits attack at the Ahoro-Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo, the Oluwo of Iwo, Osun State, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has called for urgent action from President Bola Tinubu by empowering traditional rulers to defend Yorubaland.
Oba Akanbi, however, pushed for an emergency meeting of Yoruba stakeholders, with Southwest governors bringing traditional rulers and all security agencies to the table for a joint plan of action.
“Provisions of logistics for monarchs will hasten response from the palace, which is usually the first point of contact in distress calls. Yoruba monarchs must also be vigilant and improve surveillance in their palaces,” he said.
The traditional ruler who made the call amid growing concern over bandit movements in the Southwest, remarked that governors need to set aside differences, harmonize security efforts, and treat the threat as a shared problem.
He charged all monarchs to improve surveillance in their respective palaces, emphasising that, without support, communities remain vulnerable.
The monarch noted that palaces are the first place people run to when danger hits, yet traditional rulers are left without the resources to respond, and this has to change, starting with first-class monarchs.
“Give traditional rulers security votes, vehicles, and logistics so we can coordinate local security outfits and tighten surveillance. The government must brace up to stop further encroachment and attacks on Yorubaland.”
He pointed to Iwo as an example. The town already has paramilitary groups working day and night with the police to stop criminal incursions, but they operate without state or federal backing.
Oluwo, who pointed out that the Oyo attack on the school, teachers, and students is a heinous act against humanity, said: “It was a complete desecration of Yorubaland and its heritage.”