The long-anticipated spread of Nigeria’s school-abduction issue has finally materialised in the South-West. On Friday, armed individuals who have instilled fear across various regions of the country carried out a bold attack in Oyo State, targeting three schools in Yawota and Esiele, within the Oriire Local Government Area. The incident resulted in two fatalities and the kidnapping of students and staff.
This is no longer solely related to Oyo State. It concerns a region that is rapidly being revealed, as the six South-West governors keep failing to establish a unified and effective security framework across their area.
In the short term, Governors Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) need to quickly go beyond talk and develop specific, deadline-driven action plans to deal with groups believed to have Islamist affiliations active in and near the area.
Hence, the event serves as a wake-up call for governors in the South-West to hold an emergency regional security meeting to address immediate, short-term actions, especially the potential establishment of a regional security office.
Theymust select a regional security coordinator in collaboration with the Federal Government, while also involving security agencies and the O’odua Peoples’ Congress when required.
This is not the moment for press statements or gatherings that result in no outcomes. Tangible steps need to be taken.
The specifics of the attack that occurred on Friday are disturbing. During the day, just after the morning assembly, armed individuals carried out a synchronized assault on Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota; Community Grammar School in Esiele; and L.A. Primary School.
It stands as the boldest attack on schools in the South-West in recent history, with its psychological and security consequences expected to endure even after the gunfire has ceased.
As usual, the aggressors opened fire randomly, causing residents to run away in fear. During the confusion, the assistant headmaster of L.A. Primary School, Joel Adesiyan, and a motorcycle taxi driver lost their lives.
The assailants also took students and educators, vanishing with them into an unknown fate.
By Saturday, the exact number of casualties was still unknown. The Oyo State Government took action by closing schools in the impacted areas.
However, without continuous and multi-layered security improvements, these closures may turn into a repeated routine, which only gives up ground to violent groups instead of taking it back.
The assailants evidently took advantage of a security gap. Locals mention that there is no police station or precinct in the region. This lack established a free path for violent acts.
Even more concerning, law enforcement is said to have arrived approximately two hours following the attack, at which point the assailants had disappeared into the woods near the Oyo National Park.
This result comes as no surprise. Nigeria has a stressed, centralized police system, where the available personnel are overburdened, and many officers are assigned to unlawful VIP protection roles instead of focusing on community safety.
This instant marks a turning point. The South-West, previously seen as the most secure region in a nation plagued by violence, is now squarely in the line of fire.
However, warning signals have been increasing.
In January, alleged thieves based in nearby woods raided Oyo National Park in Oloka, Oriire LGA, resulting in the death of five park rangers.
Although the gravity of the event was significant, state focus continued to be mainly on political processes and election strategies, while security weaknesses increased.
A month later, assailants targeted the Nuku and Woro communities within the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The violence, associated with Boko Haram and Lakurawa groups, resulted in approximately 170 fatalities, along with numerous abductions, as reported by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Kwara is adjacent to Osun, Oyo, and Ekiti states, situating the South-West in close proximity to growing terrorist groups.
Ondo and Ogun have also experienced the consequences. On April 28, armed attackers targeted Eda Oniyo in Ekiti State, breaking into a Christ Apostolic Church congregation, killing the pastor, and kidnapping attendees.
Throughout these events, a concerning trend becomes apparent: extremists are spreading discreetly, establishing themselves within wooded pathways while officials act only after the occurrence. This needs to shift if the area is to avoid being slowly engulfed by a growing zone of conflict.
The financial impact of terrorism highlights the critical need for action. The UNDP reports that Nigeria suffered approximately $97 billion in losses due to violent conflict over ten years. The African Development Bank estimates annual losses at roughly 2.4 percent of GDP. With more than two million individuals displaced, the overall economic cost is valued at $75 billion.
Deputy President Kashim Shettima, who previously served as the leader of Borno State, has also highlighted that terrorism has resulted in more than 100,000 deaths in Nigeria.
These statistics reflect a nation gradually losing its strength due to preventable shortcomings in security management.
A significant structural flaw continues to be the lack of proper law enforcement in rural areas. This gap enables armed factions to establish strongholds, function without hindrance, and carry out assaults with minimal opposition.
Amidst this context, governors in the South-West can no longer use the constraints of the federal law enforcement system as a justification for not taking action or remaining inactive.
They have a model to reference. After a period of uncertainty that ended with the murder of Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, in July 2019, governors from the South-West region united to create the Amotekun Corps in early 2020.
Although there was initial opposition from the Muhammadu Buhari government, the regional security program was ultimately created due to persistent political efforts, especially supported by the former governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu.
The same sense of urgency and togetherness is needed once more. Several of the present governors, including Sanwo-Olu, Makinde, and Dapo Abiodun, were involved in the previous initiative to build agreement.
The main focus should not be on responding following every attack, but on stopping the next one beforehand.
The area needs to move from a reactive approach to a forward-looking strategy. This involves strong cooperation among state authorities, the national government, and reliable local security groups, such as the OPC. The collection of intelligence, monitoring of forests, and use of technology for surveillance should be increased and maintained.
Accounts of aggression or disregard for Amotekun staff in certain states are especially concerning. During a period of increasing violence, undermining the group is tactically counterproductive. Rather, it needs to be reinforced, adequately financed, broadened, and provided with contemporary resources.
As The PUNCHnoted following the Kwara attacks in February, strong leadership from the center is also crucial. President Bola Tinubu needs to personally focus on protecting the South-West forests and overseeing unified military operations against established armed groups.
Nigeria is currently facing an escalating security crisis. It is listed among the most affected nations by terrorism worldwide, as per the Global Terrorism Index.
Since 2009, the path of Islamist insurgency has remained consistent and unwavering. Boko Haram, fueled by extreme beliefs, has carried out a violent campaign that has severely impacted communities, especially in the North-East.
The 2014 Chibok abduction of 276 female students, along with the 2018 Dapchi kidnapping of 110 girls, continue to highlight the severity of the ongoing crisis. Altogether, between 1,500 and 1,680 pupils have been taken since 2014.
The Southwest should not turn into the next extended scene of such suffering.
In the end, the blame lies entirely with the region’s political leaders. The governors need to unite, take strong action, and act quickly to stop the gradual slide toward a broader security breakdown.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).
