Prominent Yoruba leaders have renewed the call for state police and the introduction of the death penalty for kidnappers, describing both measures as urgent steps needed to address the worsening insecurity in the South-West and across Nigeria.
The position was announced at the South-West Security Stakeholders Summit held at the 10 Degrees Event Centre in Lagos. The gathering, themed “Towards a United Front Against Insecurity in Yorubaland,” was hosted by the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, with several traditional, civic and security stakeholders in attendance.
In a communiqué signed by Iba Gani Adams, Prof. Kolawole Raheem and Amitolu Shittu, the leaders voiced strong concern over the continued spread of violent attacks, kidnapping, and banditry in the region. They warned that extremist groups are still attempting to expand their influence across sub-Saharan West Africa, using terror, intimidation and land-grabbing to destabilise communities.
The communiqué described kidnapping and banditry as evolving threats that now serve multiple purposes—raising funds for violent groups, spreading fear among citizens and enabling the forceful takeover of ancestral lands. According to the leaders, confronting these dangers requires a coordinated response rooted in local knowledge, modern technology and stronger institutional support.
They urged governors in the South-West to immediately begin setting up state police forces, staffed mainly by trained indigenous personnel with proven track records in security. They argued that local law enforcement officers understand their communities better and can respond faster and more effectively to emerging threats.
The leaders also recommended a policing structure that blends traditional community-based security methods with modern surveillance technologies such as drones, remote monitoring systems and other advanced tools. This, they said, would give operatives the advantage required to track criminal movements and prevent attacks before they occur.
Another key proposal was the creation of a global volunteer programme that allows Yoruba professionals in the diaspora to contribute their skills to state policing efforts. This initiative, they explained, would be tightly regulated to admit only vetted, qualified individuals who can enhance the region’s technical and strategic capacity.
To strengthen morale and reduce corruption within the security system, the leaders called for a dedicated Security Welfare Fund backed by citizens and diaspora contributions. They proposed that this fund operate independently to support pensions, insurance, medical care and career progression for local security personnel. They further encouraged the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) to establish a specialised non-profit project to oversee welfare support for operatives.
The communiqué also demanded an immediate and total ban on open grazing across the South-West, insisting that the movement of cattle must be restricted to trucks, articulated vehicles or rail transportation. They urged state governments to pass laws supporting modern ranching as the primary method of cattle production and advised the Bank of Agriculture to assist private investors willing to establish ranches.
Beyond internal security, the leaders asked the Federal Government to build protective walls and fences along Nigeria’s borders with Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic to limit the inflow of armed groups.
They expressed support for foreign assistance in combating terrorism and kidnapping—on the condition that such assistance respects Nigeria’s sovereignty and international laws.
The communiqué concluded with a call for all Yoruba people, especially youths, to cooperate fully with security agencies in ongoing counter-offensive operations against kidnappers and terrorists. It also urged South-West governors to work closely with Yoruba traditional rulers and leaders in Kwara and Kogi states to improve regional security coordination.
Finally, the leaders stressed that traditional rulers must be given constitutional responsibilities to effectively contribute to intelligence gathering and maintain order within their domains, stating that their local knowledge remains vital to the region’s security architecture.
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