The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has warned that rising insecurity in the South-West demands urgent and coordinated action, following the recent abduction of teachers and students in Oyo State, where one teacher was killed.
He made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, where he described the attack in Oriire Local Government Area as shocking and unacceptable.
“What happened in Oriire Local Government Area in Oyo State a few days ago is very sad and highly condemnable,” Adams said on the programme.
He noted that although kidnappings have occurred in parts of the country, the scale of the Oyo incident signals a troubling escalation in Yorubaland.
“We have had a series of kidnappings in different states, but we have not witnessed mass kidnapping in Yorubaland, and that shows that the Yoruba race in the South-West must prepare for this issue of insecurity.”
Adams said he had long raised concerns about infiltration by criminal groups across the region, insisting that his warnings had gone unheeded by political leaders.
“Precisely, November last year, I mentioned four states that these criminals had infiltrated. I mentioned Ondo State, Ekiti State, Osun State, and Oyo State.
And there was a time, particularly, I mentioned Ogun State, but as the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, I have limited power to be involved in the security architecture of the country, especially Yorubaland.
“I had written to the South-West governors that there is a need for collaboration on the issue of security; all hands must be on deck on these issues. But for the past two years, they have not replied to me.
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“I have poured it out on different media platforms. We held a world press conference on this issue about five months ago that there is a need for the Aare Ona Kakanfo, through the Aare-in-Council and 14 different organisations, not only the Oodua People’s Congress, to collaborate with the government.”
He expressed frustration over what he described as silence from authorities, saying his repeated calls for joint action had not been answered.
“I don’t know why they refused, and then people continue to put blame on me. Some thought, ‘Where is the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland? He refused to do something on the issue of insecurity,’” he said.
The warning comes after armed men invaded Esiele community in Oyo State last Friday, abducting pupils and staff from several schools, including Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed that one teacher was killed in the attack while security efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining victims.
President Bola Tinubu also condemned the incident, describing it as barbaric and assuring that security agencies were working to secure the release of those abducted.
His statement was issued through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.