The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has called for stronger collaboration among security stakeholders as part of efforts to confront the worsening insecurity and violence affecting the South-West and other parts of the country.
Speaking at a virtual international conference organised by Yoruba One Voice (YOV) Worldwide, Adams said a united approach would close gaps in intelligence gathering and enhance the speed and effectiveness of security responses.
He warned that weak coordination among government security agencies, local vigilantes, traditional institutions, and civil society groups had left communities vulnerable.
He urged governors, local government chairpersons, traditional rulers and community leaders to forge a collective front to end the repeated attacks, saying unity remained the foundation of peace and stability.
“In Yorubaland, our strength lies in our ability to come together as one people, beyond differences of origin, religion or language,” he said.
According to him, when communities stand together, intelligence sharing improves, vigilance increases, and criminals find it more difficult to thrive. He added that unity builds trust and prevents conflicts from escalating into large-scale violence.
Adams welcomed the recent approval by South-West governors for a regional security fund and a joint intelligence-sharing arrangement, describing the development as a practical step toward the collaboration stakeholders had long advocated.
He also appealed to the governors to extend support to Yoruba-speaking communities in Kogi and Kwara States, insisting that collective action was needed to halt kidnappings and attacks.
Parakoyi Aare Ona Kakanfo, Prof. Kolawole Raheem, echoed the call for a united stance, warning that bandits appeared determined to displace Yoruba people from their lands. He urged political leaders to stop what he described as “political genocide” carried out through exploitation and land dispossession.
Guest speaker, Prof. Adetayo Olurotimi Ogunlewe, lamented what he called a pattern of targeted attacks, kidnappings and displacement across Yorubaland, cautioning that failure to act decisively could result in widespread atrocities. He called for more aggressive security operations aimed at clearing criminal groups from forest hideouts.
Earlier, YOV Secretary-General, Prince Adedokun Ademiluyi, said the severity of insecurity in the region had reached a level requiring urgent and coordinated intervention. Another participant, Iyalode Abike Ade from the United Kingdom, stressed the need for sustained advocacy both locally and internationally to highlight threats facing Yoruba communities and to strengthen traditional security structures within lawful frameworks.
Participants recommended the establishment of a Yoruba Security Coordination Framework to enhance collaboration among vigilantes, state security agencies, traditional rulers and community networks. They also proposed regular stakeholder meetings to generate ideas and strengthen collective efforts aimed at restoring security across the region.
