By Dr. Joel Ademisoye. Ph.d
This phenomenon and practice of transporting the Fulani jihadists, insurgency and terrorists from the Northern Nigeria with the use of the 16 wheeler truck like the Dangote Cement Truck, caught in the state capital of Akure in the Southwestern region of the country, began as far back as the year 2012. It appears that the the Southwestern states have become the destination choice for the terrorists coming from the faraway Northern States of Zamfara, Sokoto, Borno, Yobe, etc.
I vividly recall that about two years ago, on November 2025, a meeting was held at the Lagos House, Alausa, hosted by the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo Olu to discuss the insecurity issues and to improve the security framework for the Southwestern Nigeria. It is understood that a Comprehensive Security Plan for the region was developed and gave rise to the establishment of the Southwest Security Fund (SWSF). Since then, the insecurity challenges of the kidnapping of innocent people and banditry activities have exacerbated and spiked in the region. that the Southwest Governors Forum, met in Lagos to sign an agreement on the strengthening of security in the region, but it appears that the governments have not aggressively implemented the plan.
Why is the plan of action not aggressively implemented in the 6 states of Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo in the Southwestern region?
I don’t think that the President Bola Tinubu administration will serve as an obstacle or an impediment to the implementation of the security plan and establishment of a strong, potent and effective security infrastructure in the Southwestern region, as was opposed by the President Buhari government. I vividly recall that the Governor of Ondo State, Barrister Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s public lamentation and frustration over the Buhari government’s opposition to the establishment of and providing the security equipments for the Amotekun Security Network in the Southwestern region.
Today, the geography of terrorism and terrorist activities are shifting from the traditional Northern Nigeria, where Boko Haram and ISISWAP are still dominant, but it is spreading like a wildfire to the Southwestern and Southeastern states. This southern movement of terrorism, is reflected and supported by the recent capture of a Dangote Truck load of terrorists armed with AK- 47 rifles, but they were intercepted by the Amotekun Security Officers in the Ondo State capital of Akure.
Why can’t the 6 state governors of the Southwestern Nigeria, borrow ideas, embrace and adopt the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah’s Model of prioritizing security issues and investing in the acquisition and purchase of the modern infrastructure of technology to fight terrorism and terrorist activities in the state, such as AI powered surveillance drones, equipping forest guards and establishing the Distress Response Squad (DRS), equipped with 150 patrol vehicles. Looking at the Governor Mbah’s huge financial investment in the acquisition and purchasing of the modern technology and boosting human resource to fight the deadly terrorist activities and threats in the Enugu State, is a reflection of the paradigm shift in the post President Buhari administration’s centralization of security policy and anti- terrorism in the country, which has been decentralized by the current government judging by the philosophy, principles and practices of the state government’s combating the terrorism and terrorist networks at the state threshold. Imagine that if 36 states and the FCT to have the freedom and independence to join in the war against the terrorism and terrorist activities in Nigeria, I think that the outcome would be much different today.
Against this backdrop of the Governor Mbah’s Model, the 6 state governors in the Southwestern Nigeria have no hiding place and no excuses for the government low priority given to insecurity, the poor investment in the acquisition of the modern infrastructure and technology, which gives rise to the poor response to the terrorism and deadly terrorist activities, kidnappings and banditry in the Southwestern region. Question: The citizens of the Southwestern Region will like to ask the 6 state governors, what do they spend their security votes on?
There is an urgent need for a paradigm shift in fighting terrorism and terrorist activities in the 6 states of the Southwestern Nigeria, which requires that the governments give priority to combat insecurity, terrorism, kidnapping and banditry in the 6 states and significantly invest in the acquisition of the modern, sophisticated technology for surveillance, monitoring and tracking the terrorists, kidnappers and bandits in the dens of the forest. Imagine what the impacts of the 6 state governors’ pulling together their funds and committing their security votes to achieving the security goals, objectives and plans, if properly harnessed or adequately invested in the acquisition and purchase of the modern infrastructure and technology (Surveillance drones), to monitor, defend and protect the cities, rural areas and forests as seen in the Governor Mbah’s Enugu State. For example, in my home state of Ondo, I am yet to see the Aiyedatiwa government to go out to shopping and acquiring the modern technology such as a surveillance drones to monitor and track the terrorists, kidnappers and bandits in the state. Why not purchase the surveillance drones for the Amotekun Security Network, to keep their eyes on the movement of the terrorists and kidnappers in the thick forests of our state? Hence, I consider the Aiyedatiwa administration’s poor investment in the acquisition and purchase of the modern technology technology to fish out the terrorists and kidnappers, who are wrecking havoc in the state, is an open invitation to the deadly insurgency, to be seeking a refuge in Ondo State (the recent experience with the Dangote Truck, which was loaded with the terrorists armed with AK-47 rifles, but were captured by the Amotekun officers in Akure.), this incident should wake up the Aiyedatiwa government from its slumber and inaction on the rising condition of insecurity in the state.
The bitter truth about the fighting against terrorism and terrorist activities in Nigeria since the 2009, with the birth of Boko Haram insurgency in the country, was the absence of the strategic and regional approach that involved the inclusion and involvement of the 36 states and FCT, particularly during the Buhari administration of 8 years in office. Albeit, it is shown that the federal government cannot win the war against terrorism and terrorists in Nigeria alone (Source: Tinubu loses sleep over rising insecurity, Presidency speaks out- Our Heritage Reporters, March 25, 2026.). Why wouldn’t President Tinubu have a sleepless night? Imagine, the terrorists invaded and carried a deadly attack on the police station, killed Vigilante Commander, shot local Chief Security and attempted to takeover a police station in Kwara State, which is indicative of the change in tactics to a gorilla’s warfare.
Why not shed the old skin for a new one, by embracing, adopting and incorporating a new National strategy based on a comprehensive or a holistic approach to fighting terrorism in Nigeria, involving the 36 states and FCT, focusing on accommodating, integrating and inclusive approaches, because it is much easier and a lighter burden to carry for the Tinubu federal government, to tackle and fight the war against the terrorism and terrorists in Nigeria, to a standstill. With this new approach of the inclusion of the 36 states and FCT, it is a beneficial strategy in developing a collective framework against terrorism, providing and fostering partnership and collaboration, united resources and a reliable intelligence source, information gathering and sharing between the federal and state governments in the country.
No matter the amount of the modern technology acquired by the government, the provision of the human intelligence, is a critical part of the effective strategy to achieve a successful outcome against the terrorism network and terrorist organizations in the various geographical areas of the country- in the Chad Basin/ Northeast (Borno and Yobe areas), Northwest (Sokoto), Southwest (Lagos, Ibadan, Akure) and Southeast (Enugu, Onitsha) and South-South- (Port Harcourt, Calabar) regions. Why are Nigerians or civilians primarily excluded from playing an important role in the war against the insurgents and kidnappers as well? It is my observation that the Nigerian citizens’ participation in war against the terrorists isn’t important and insignificant, arguably, it is poor. For example, the Nigerian citizens aren’t mobilized, organized and organization established to manage their efforts and create awareness among the Nigerian population. Undoubtably, the human resource, is needed in the area of intelligence gathering against the elite and wealthy Islamic clerics who are sympathizers to terrorist cause, like Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who is asking the government to negotiate with the bandits, are deemed to be the financial sponsors, supporters and perpetrators of the terrorism and terrorist activities in the country. Why are these financial sponsors of and vocal clerics, who vehemently supporting the Islamist terrorist, remain a sacred cows and untouchables in spite of their public pronouncements in the defense and support of the terrorism and terrorist activities in Nigeria?
As of today, the federal government lacks the proper structure and organization, for getting the Nigerian citizens to be aware of, involved and participate in the war against the Islamic jihadists terrorists in the various regions of the country. If the Nigerian citizens are properly organized and actively engaged, they could serve as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the government authorities in the community and war against the terrorism in Nigeria. Moving forward, the Tinubu administration should develop a national civilian plan to mobilize the citizens, identify and define their role in the war against terrorism in the country. It is my observation that the Nigerians are outside the loop of the war against the deadly terrorist activities, therefore, they are inconsequential and not impactful in the war against the monster terrorists in the country.
It must be pointed out that the Nigerian government’s capacity and effort, to build a viable and effective intelligence networks, even among the law enforcement agencies, the perceive corruption factor, is a serious challenge to and the ease of the use of illegal money, to lure, buy and bribe the government officials, is a threat to and undermining the gathering of valuable information and vital intelligence in Nigeria. Hence, the Tinubu administration should also make concerted effort to fight and reduce the widespread political corruption in the governments – federal, state and local levels in the country.
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