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By Lawrence Agbo
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has urged South-West governors and regional stakeholders to urgently strengthen cooperation on security following the recent abduction of teachers and students in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Adams described the attack on schools in the Esiele community as a disturbing development and a warning sign that insecurity is spreading deeper into the South-West.
According to him, although kidnapping incidents have occurred in different parts of the region in recent years, the latest mass abduction shows that the South-West can no longer assume it is insulated from the growing security crisis affecting other parts of the country.
“What happened in Oriire Local Government Area in Oyo State a few days ago is very sad and highly condemnable,” Adams said.
“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.”
The Yoruba leader revealed that he had repeatedly warned about the infiltration of criminal elements into parts of the region, specifically mentioning Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, and Ogun states as vulnerable areas.
Adams said he had previously written to South-West governors, urging them to adopt a coordinated regional approach to security, but claimed his appeals had not received any response.
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“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,” he stated.
He added that he had also raised the issue through several media appearances and a world press conference held about five months ago, where he called for collaboration between the government, the Aare-in-Council, and other Yoruba organisations beyond the Oodua People’s Congress.
Gani Adams expressed frustration over criticism directed at him regarding insecurity in the region, insisting that his office lacks constitutional powers to directly oversee security operations.
“I don’t know why they refused, and then people continue to put blame on me,” he said.
Bandits had invaded schools in the Esiele community last Friday, abducting staff, students, and pupils from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde later confirmed that one of the abducted teachers had been killed while others remained in captivity.
Makinde assured residents that efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims, while President Bola Tinubu also condemned the killing and pledged that all abducted persons would be safely rescued.
