Within the wake of stories of infiltration of the South West by terrorists, the governors introduced a plan to collectively counter any type of menace to life and property within the area. The transfer is important and concerning the best duty imposed on the governors by the structure of the nation.
Certainly, security of life and property of the individuals shouldn’t be negotiable. Wherever individuals dwell in fixed concern of being killed at any time and their possessions continuously susceptible to destruction by felony parts, it’s adjudged that the federal government in place has failed. It’s on this observe that the governors are strongly suggested to make sure that the present plan doesn’t go the way in which of earlier ones that promised a lot however achieved little within the face of escalating insecurity.
Because the chief safety officers of their respective states, the governors should exhibit the political will to frontally deal with the safety challenges within the area. The general public need onslaught on felony parts of their hideouts throughout Yoruba land.
Of current, Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Fortunate Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), below the aegis of South West Governors’ Discussion board met on the Authorities Home, Ikeja, Lagos to debate methods to virtually reply to the reported infiltration of the South West by terrorists who’re being flushed out of the North West and North East forests by the navy. Chairman of the discussion board, Governor Sanwo-Olu mentioned there was settlement to ascertain a joint surveillance monitoring staff that can coordinate safety efforts throughout Yoruba land. The duty of the staff will primarily be to fight all types of banditry and different crimes, in collaboration with the police, different federal safety businesses and native safety outfits. For achievement of the deliberate operation, the states will deploy superior expertise, together with space surveillance safety programs. Every state is to nominate a particular adviser on safety to serve within the staff. There might be precedence for intelligence gathering for identification of criminals’ hideout and immediate motion towards them.
Part 14 of the 1999 Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) gives that ‘the safety and welfare of the individuals shall be the first goal of presidency.’
The structure designates the governor because the chief safety officer of the state, although the safety association within the nation locations the police power as instrument to stop and detect crime, keep legislation and order, and defend individuals and their property, below the management of the Federal Authorities. Sadly the nation will not be being successfully and adequately policed, resulting in frequent and unjust killing of harmless residents by criminals who function freely and efficiently most occasions as if they’re increased in quantity than the nation’s safety operatives. Moreover, a number of the governors themselves haven’t exhibited satisfactory political will to deal with the safety challenges of their domains.
When the South West governors collectively established the Western Nigeria Safety Community (WNSN) codenamed ‘Amotekun’ in January 2020 to collaborate with the police to curtail inflow of terrorists, kidnappers and violent herdsmen from the northern a part of the nation to forests and farmlands within the area, hope of a safer Yoruba land was rekindled. Actually, by that point, a particular safety measure was extremely wanted to guard the South West amid rising insecurity within the nation accentuated by indiscriminate killing, kidnapping, banditry and destruction of farmlands. It’s disappointing that a number of the governors failed to provide safety the seriousness it deserves. It took years earlier than a few of them may inaugurate Amotekun Corps to start operation of their domains. Thus far, the ‘Amotekun’ safety outfit has been poorly funded. In some states, there isn’t any finances for its operations.
It’s apparent immediately that Amotekun’s can do extra to scale back crime charge. Based on knowledge from the Nigeria Safety Tracker (NST), of the Council of Overseas Affairs, no fewer than 145 individuals have been kidnapped , 178 killed by non-state actors in Yoruba land in 2021, a yr after Amotekun was established. Additionally, knowledge launched by the Nationwide Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed a surge in kidnapping incidents within the South West between Might 2023 and Might 2024. It was reported that in 2024, over N248 million was paid as ransom to kidnappers whereas a number of monarchs have been kidnapped and killed within the area. Different outstanding people and travellers on the freeway weren’t spared. Solely just lately, the spouse of Assistant Inspector Common of Police (AIG), Hakeem Odumosu (rtd), Folashade was kidnapped on the gate of her residence at Arepo space of Ogun State. Additionally just lately, some suspected herders invaded farmlands in Ajegunle Powerline Group in Akure North Native Council of Ondo State, killing 5 staff. It was reported that the criminals had a area day perpetrating their heinous crime in the neighborhood.
Certainly, the rationale authorities exists is primarily for defense and wellbeing of the individuals. There needs to be nothing extra essential in governance than guaranteeing security of life and property of the residents. That alone is a precursor of improvement. Any chief, elected or appointed, who fails to provide particular consideration to this important job fails the individuals, the constituents and won’t be worthy of file in historical past.
This time, the individuals of South West wish to see the political will of the governors to implement the legal guidelines towards no matter has been outlawed within the land. Open grazing of cattle has been banned via correctly enacted legal guidelines, however it’s nonetheless thriving in some South West states. Herdsmen are nonetheless invading farms and destroying crops on which farmers had spent tens of millions of naira; individuals are nonetheless being kidnapped of their properties and on the highways and made to pay tens of millions of naira in ransom; younger Nigerians, particularly women, are being killed ceaselessly for ritual functions; many farmers can’t go to their farms to provide meals; individuals dwell in fixed concern of both being killed, kidnapped or robbed of their possessions. The governors are challenged to show to the world that they worth the lives of their individuals and are bothered by their welfare. This needs to be displayed by means of motion, not political statements.
