Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has referred to past U.S military operations in Nigeria, suggesting that international support may be necessary if local security structures prove inadequate.
He expressed renewed concerns about the escalating insecurity in several states in the Southwest and parts of the Middle Belt. During a world press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, Adams highlighted that Kogi, Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states, as well as areas of Edo and Delta, are experiencing increased attacks, kidnappings, and other criminal activities linked to armed groups operating from forests and border regions.
Adams recalled that over a year ago, he wrote to the governors of the Southwest, urging them to collaborate with traditional and community-based security structures to address the presence of criminal elements in the forests, but he noted that his appeal went unanswered.
He cited the murders of two prominent monarchs—Major General Segun Aremu (rtd), the Olukoro of Koro in Kwara State, and Oba Israel Adeusi, the Olufon of Ifon in Ondo State—as examples of the growing threat to security in the region.
“Now, the danger is staring at everybody in the face. If care is not taken urgently, this clear, present, serious, and immediate danger has the capability to change the topography, landscape, and history of peace-loving Yoruba people.
This insecurity gradually creeps into Yorubaland, which is a monster that must be fought with all powers at our disposal.
He added that council officials, clerics, businesspeople, farmers and travelers have also been targeted, while several women have been assaulted and farmlands abandoned due to insecurity” he alleged.
According to him, intelligence reports suggest that some of the armed groups, including foreign nationals, are attempting to expand their activities from forests into towns and cities.
Adams referenced recent incidents, including an attack in Babanla, Kwara State, where several villages were reportedly displaced and multiple people killed, as well as the abduction of students in Kebbi State. He also linked broader insecurity in the Middle Belt Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa and Taraba to similar patterns of displacement and attacks.
He further alleged that criminal groups are exploiting mineral-rich areas for illegal mining to finance arms purchases.
Adams reiterated his call for a Southwest Security Summit involving traditional rulers, religious leaders, farmers, business owners, herders and security agencies to coordinate a regional response. He expressed disappointment that the proposal has not received significant attention from government officials.
He said: “We must treat this cankerworm with the urgent attention it deserves because for any development to take place in any polity, evil must not be appeased. It must be decisively dealt with and fought from all angles like the monster that it is. That was why I proposed the convocation of a Southwest Security Summit to be held in one of the State capitals in Yorubaland.”
Commenting on international involvement, Adams welcomed reported proposals for external assistance to combat terrorism, stating that any effort that could help restore peace should be considered.
He also noted that recent foreign travel advisories warning citizens against visiting parts of Nigeria highlight the seriousness of the security situation.
Adams urged residents of the Southwest to remain vigilant and strengthen community intelligence networks, stressing that the threat must be addressed decisively to prevent further deterioration.
He concluded by calling on security agencies, State governments and community leaders to act swiftly, stating that the situation poses an existential challenge to the region’s stability and economic development.