By: Femi Adesope
I woke up to several missed calls on one of my rarely used lines after switching off my main number overnight. When I eventually returned the calls, one of our brothers was on the other end. His voice carried anxiety and desperation. He wanted to know if I had any contacts that could help because the wife of one of his friends, someone I also know personally, was among those abducted at Esiele in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
I told him the honest truth: “I am just an ordinary citizen like you too, but I will make some calls.” I also reminded him that the Governor had already addressed the public on the matter, which at least showed that the incident had attracted government attention. But beyond official reactions, what remains is the painful reality of families currently trapped in fear, uncertainty and anguish.
Not long after that conversation, I came across the horrifying video of one of the abducted teachers who was reportedly killed by the kidnappers. It was deeply disturbing. No decent society should become comfortable with such brutality. Sadly, incidents that once sounded distant and unfamiliar are gradually becoming part of our own reality in the Southwest.
What happened in Orire should not be dismissed as another routine kidnapping incident. The abduction of teachers and schoolchildren is a dangerous signal that organised armed groups are becoming bolder and more coordinated. If urgent steps are not taken, the region may soon find itself battling a security crisis far more severe than ordinary banditry.
Years ago, communities in parts of Oyo State especially Ibarapa and sections of Oke-Ogun repeatedly raised concerns about armed groups taking advantage of forest routes and isolated settlements. Many people treated those warnings lightly or reduced them to political arguments. Today, the threat appears to be mutating into something more dangerous and more structured.
This is why Southwest leaders must stop treating security as a matter for partisan competition. Whether APC, PDP, ADC, APM or any other platform, insecurity does not ask for party membership before striking. The region requires a united security strategy that prioritises the safety of lives over political calculations.
The debate around state policing can no longer remain theoretical. The current security realities have exposed the limitations of relying entirely on a centralised policing structure for every local emergency across Nigeria. Rural communities are vulnerable, forest areas are increasingly difficult to monitor and response time to attacks remains too slow.
The late former Ondo State Governor, , understood this challenge early enough when he championed regional security collaboration through Amotekun. That initiative was a step in the right direction, but present realities now demand stronger political will and operational upgrades.
Southwest governors must jointly push for reforms that will allow Amotekun operate beyond ceremonial visibility. Local security outfits cannot confront heavily armed criminal networks with outdated tools and weak operational authority. The region needs a more modern and better coordinated security architecture.
We must also stop reducing Amotekun to an outfit remembered only during local disputes or minor enforcement operations. The nature of insecurity confronting the Southwest today requires trained intelligence gathering, rapid response systems, surveillance technology and stronger collaboration with conventional security agencies.
In 2026, fighting insecurity goes beyond checkpoints and patrol vans. Technology must become central to security operations. The deployment of drones, digital surveillance systems, communication tracking tools and aerial monitoring has become necessary in vulnerable areas across the region.
The surveillance helicopter acquired by the Oyo State Government should be actively deployed for security operations, especially around forest corridors and isolated communities vulnerable to attacks. Security assets are meaningful only when they are effectively utilised for prevention, intelligence and rapid intervention.
At the same time, citizens cannot completely outsource security responsibilities to government alone. Communities must become more vigilant and cooperative with security agencies. Information sharing, local intelligence and early warning systems remain critical in preventing attacks before they happen.
Government presence must also improve in vulnerable rural areas. Communities abandoned by development often become easy targets for criminal networks. Good roads, functioning local administrations, employment opportunities and visible state presence are all part of long-term security solutions.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost loved ones in this tragic incident. We also remain hopeful for the safe return of those who are still in captivity. Behind every headline are real families enduring sleepless nights, pain and uncertainty.
What happened in Orire must serve as a serious wake-up call. The Southwest still has an opportunity to prevent a deeper security crisis, but that opportunity will not remain open forever. Delayed action, divided leadership and reactive responses have worsened insecurity in other parts of Nigeria. The region must not repeat the same mistakes.
This is the time for urgency, coordination and decisive leadership. Security must now be treated as a regional emergency before criminal elements gain deeper roots within the Southwest.
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