The Southwest Youths Forum has warned that the region’s long-standing reputation for relative peace and stability is in jeopardy due to the growing wave of insecurity in the Southwest.
According to the forum, communities throughout the region, including Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, and Lagos states, are currently being impacted by an increase in banditry, kidnapping for ransom, farmer-herder conflicts, and criminal element infiltration.
Olumide Fasubaa, the group’s team lead, said in a statement released in Ado Ekiti on Sunday that the situation had progressed from remote threats to direct assaults on public safety, education, and livelihoods.
“Banditry, kidnapping for ransom, farmer-herder clashes and the infiltration of criminal elements from other regions are no longer distant threats. They have crept into our forests, highways, farmlands, and communities across Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, and even Lagos.”
Fasubaa cautioned that if state authorities do not act quickly and cooperatively, the region—once thought to be a center of economic vitality and stability—may now face wider destabilization.
The statement made reference to recent incidents in Oyo State’s Oriire Local Government Area, where armed bandits allegedly killed a teacher and kidnapped students during an attack on a school.
Fasubaa praised the Southwest Governors’ Forum for past efforts, such as suggestions for a Regional Security Trust Fund and enhanced intelligence sharing, but stated that implementation now needs to go beyond planning to actual action.
“The persistence and escalation of these attacks demand far more aggressive implementation and visible results on the ground. Words and frameworks must now translate into tangible security improvements that citizens can feel.”
The forum called on the governors of the states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti to immediately activate and sufficiently fund the Security Trust Fund and other components of the proposed regional security architecture with open accountability mechanisms.
Additionally, it demanded that state-backed security organizations—such as vigilantes, hunters, and community policing groups—be strengthened through legal support, logistical assistance, and training.
In addition, Fasubaa promoted enhanced interstate cooperation on intelligence exchange, quick response coordination, and border security, as well as ongoing patrol and surveillance system protection of schools, farms, and highways.
The group also demanded renewed support for state policing while making the most of already-existing constitutional powers, as well as increased engagement with traditional leaders, youth organizations, and civil society in a community-driven security strategy.
“We deserve a secure environment to thrive, educate our children, and contribute to national development. Insecurity is a failure of proactive governance that can and must be reversed through strong leadership.”
Insecurity remains one of the most pressing issues of our time, with lives being lost day in and day out. Every moment that passes without decisive action continues to put innocent lives at risk, highlighting the critical importance of addressing this menace. Protecting lives should be our top priority, and it is imperative that we take drastic and immediate measures to restore peace and security in the region.
Only through concerted effort and unwavering commitment can we hope to end this cycle of violence and ensure a safer future for all
