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By Lukman Olabiyi
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has declared his support for the proposed military assistance from the United States to help Nigeria combat escalating terrorism and banditry, saying that foreign intervention may be necessary given the scale of security challenges facing the country.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday ,alongside members of his council, Adams warned that insecurity across the Southwest and parts of the Middle Belt has reached a critical stage.
He argued that with armed groups expanding their operations, international military backing could help restore stability where local efforts have fallen short.
According to him, criminal networks have infiltrated forests across Kogi, Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, and parts of Edo and Delta states and are now reportedly mobilising to extend attacks into urban areas.
He noted that despite alerting Southwest governors more than a year ago and urging collaboration with traditional institutions to secure the region’s forests, no significant action was taken.
Adams cited recent violent incidents ,including the killing of the Olukoro of Koro in Kwara State, Major General Segun Aremu (rtd) and the assassination of the Ifon monarch in Ondo State, Oba Israel Adeusi as evidence of an expanding threat.
He also referenced numerous cases of kidnapping, attacks on community leaders, and assaults on farmers and travellers.
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He further pointed to worsening conditions in the Middle Belt, where hundreds of villages in Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa and Taraba states have been displaced due to persistent attacks.
He alleged that national forests have become safe havens for criminal gangs involved in kidnapping and illegal mining used to finance their operations.
Against this backdrop, Adams endorsed the reported proposal by U.S. President, Donald Trump, to assist Nigeria in tackling terrorism and banditry.
He said similar interventions in the past, including a 2020 U.S. special forces operation that rescued an abducted American citizen in Nigeria shows the potential impact of such support.
“Foreign military assistance is necessary if our local security architecture has been compromised,” he said, adding that the overriding goal is to protect lives. “If the Nigerian government is unable or unwilling to act decisively, then, international partners should help us restore peace.”
Adams also referenced a recent travel advisory issued by the British government warning its citizens to avoid about 20 Nigerian states due to insecurity, describing it as a further indication of the severity of the crisis.
He renewed his call for a Southwest Security Summit involving traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders, farmers, herders, business stakeholders, and security agencies, emphasizing that the region must adopt a coordinated and urgent response to the threat.
“The time to act is now. This existential threat must be addressed urgently to prevent further deterioration of peace and security in our land,”he warned.
