The Gani Adams has raised concerns over growing insecurity in the South-West, alleging that terrorists have infiltrated no fewer than 40 local government areas across the region.
Adams disclosed this during an interview, where he warned that armed groups had established a significant presence in parts of the South-West over the past two years.
According to him, intelligence gathered by his network showed that terrorists were actively operating in several communities across the geopolitical zone.
We have 137 local government areas in the South-West, and we spotted not remnants of terrorists, but a lot of terrorists in no fewer than 40 local governments. We have many terrorists that have infiltrated those local government areas,” he said.
The Yoruba leader said efforts had been made to collaborate with state governments in tackling the security threat but lamented that the attempts did not receive the expected support.
He explained that his group decided against releasing full intelligence details publicly, expressing belief that cooperation with state authorities would have produced better results.
“We called for collaboration with state governments for the past two years. This is a government that knows your antecedents, knows that you have a structure across Yorubaland and even beyond, yet refuses to engage you despite benefitting from security votes, Adams stated.
Speaking on the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Adams said local hunters and vigilante groups possess limited operational capacity despite their knowledge of the terrain.
He stressed the need for coordinated action among regional security groups, including factions of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), to combat rising insecurity.
“All hands must be on deck to confront these criminals. Security is not always about carrying sophisticated weapons. You need intelligence gathering, infiltration and people who understand the terrain,” he added.
Adams also emphasised the importance of multilingual intelligence operatives and spiritual support in addressing security challenges.
The warning comes days after armed men attacked schools and nearby communities in Oriire LGA of Oyo State, abducting pupils, students and teachers in the Ogbomoso axis.
Communities in Ondo State and other parts of the South-West have also witnessed repeated attacks by armed groups in recent months, raising fresh concerns over regional security.
