The Doctrine of Necessity Is Compelling Governor of Ondo State Lucky Aiyedatiwa to Change His Approach and Strategy of Passivity and Inaction to Insecurity in the state

By Dr. Joel Ademisoye, United States

Hello, Barrister Lawyer in the Slik, Dipo Okpeseyi SAN. I am glad to read your forwarded post on the topical issue of insecurity in Ondo State on this platform. Having read the forwarded post, which revealed about the Governor of Enugu State Peter Mbah’s huge government budget allocations in the acquisition and purchase of the modern, sophisticated technology to combat the terrorism, banditry and kidnapping activities in Enugu State. Governor Mbah is in favor of appropriate approach and meaningful measures to fighting the violent, deadly terrorism and kidnappings in the state by acquiring and purchasing the modern technologies of surveillance planes, drones and CCTV cameras to track, monitor and locate the movement of the terrorists, kidnappers and other criminals in the state’s thick forests.

Against this backdrop of the Governor Mbah’s brilliant delivery of the anti terrorism technology in Enugu State, as a native of Owo in Ondo State, whose hometown has become the epicenter of terrorism and kidnappings in Ondo State, I am seriously concerned about Governor Aiyedatiwa administration’s passivity lukewarm attitude and inaction in fighting the violent, deadly terrorists and kidnappers in Ondo State.

Let me go down the memory lane in recalling the incidents of the terrorists in my hometown of Owo, on June 2022, visiting Nigeria when I heard the the historic and unprecedented news of the massacre of 40 worshippers at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Ogwaluwa neighborhood of Owo Town, during the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administration. Since the brutal killing of the church worshippers, I have become more interested native of Ondo State in how the Governor Aiyedatiwa administration, is treating and responding to the insecurity, banditry and kidnapping problems in the state, in the face of the rising kidnappings in Ondo State, especially in Owo Town. Oops! You might recalled that the gruesome killing by the suspected kidnappers of The Olufon of Ifon, a first class Oba in Ondo State and Yorubaland of the Southwestern Nigeria, Oba Israel Adewusi, following his return from the official meeting of Obas In Council in the state capital of Akure in November 26, 2026.

This writer, acknowledged and gave kudos to the late Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who left no stone unturned in his efforts to remove the terrorists and kidnappers from the government forest reserves by the issuing of an Edict, which gave a seven day ultimatum to the unregistered Herdsmen, to register with the state government or vacate the government forest reserves in January 18, 2021. In addition, as Chairman of the Southwest Governors Forum, Government Akeredolu provided strong, bold leadership against the President Buhari government’s resistance position and efforts in its opposition to the formation and establishment of the Amotekun Security Networks in the Southwestern Nigeria. This writer is appreciative of the Governor Akeredolu’s standing tall to the President Buhari’s strong opposition to the formation of Amotekun Security Networks in the Southwestern Region or the 6 Yoruba Language speaking states in the Southwest Region. Without mincing words, the 6 Yoruba states and its people should forever be grateful and appreciative for Governor Akeredolu’s strong, bold leadership and unwavering support for the formation and establishment of the historic Amotekun Security Networks in the Southwest Nigeria, particularly with its full operations in Ondo State.

Against this backdrop of the late Governor Akeredolu administration’s commitment to and fight against the Jihadists Fulani Herdsmen in the thick forests of Ondo State, how do the Ondo State citizens measure and evaluate the Governor Aiyedatiwa administration’s efforts, policy and programs in the fighting of the terrorism, terrorists and kidnappers in the state?

Bluntly put, since the Aiyedatiwa administration came to power and office in 2023, there is no physical evidence to demonstrate its interest in and show its commitment to fighting the violent, deadly terrorists and kidnappers in Ondo State, There is no acquisition and purchase of the modern, sophisticated anti- terrorist equipments- police vehicles , surveillance planes and drones by the Aiyedatiwa government in order to track, monitor and locate the movements of the terrorists and kidnappers in the thick forests of Ondo State. As a native of Owo in Ondo State, who cares and concerns about the security, safety and protection of the Ondo people and the Nigerian citizens at large, which is the primary functions of a government, in which the Governor Aiyedatiwa government is performing poorly and abysmally. As a result, I am compelled to ask Governor Aiyedatiwa, a million Nairas question, that many Ondo State residents are afraid to ask the governor, what do you spend your huge monthly federal security votes for?

Unequivocally, there is urgent need for a paradigm shift by the Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa administration to do the right thing for people of the state in offering them the adequate security measures, plan and acquisition and purchase of modern, sophisticated anti- terrorism equipments like the surveillance planes, drones to track, monitor locate the movements of the terrorists and kidnappers in the thick forests and. the installation of the CCTV cameras in the state capital of Akure. For example, other state governors like – Makinde, Mbah, Ododo in Nigeria are changing the status quo of passivity and inaction by adopting, embracing New philosophy, ideas, strategy, policy and plan by heavily investing in the acquisition and purchase of the modern, sophisticated technologies of surveillance planes and drones to fight terrorists, bandits and kidnappers in the Enugu, Kogi, Kwara, Oyo, Zamfara states of the country. So, what is Governor of Ondo State Aiyedatiwa waiting for in investing huge sums of money in the acquisition and purchase of the modern surveillance technology of the 2 Diamond DA 42 MNG Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Aircraft, which were purchased by the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde for operations in the state. As a result of the kidnapping of 40 schoolchildren and beheading of their teacher in the Onire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Kudos to Governor Seyi Makinde for his immediate response and action to the security needs of the Oyo community and its people as well. Hence, he took strong, bold action to acquire and purchase 2 sophisticated planes for the surveillance operations, tracking, monitoring and locating the violent, deadly terrorists and kidnappers in the thick forests of the state. Let me remind Governor Aiyedatiwa that Silence in the face of the rising occurrences and threats of terrorism and kidnappings in the Southwestern Nigeria, particularly in Owo, Areas of Ondo State are striking.
Why is Governor Aiyedatiwa’s continued Silence, Passivity and inaction which are not Golden at all.

Also, I learned something new about Governor Aiyedatiwa in the recent interviews with the host of the Channel TV Today’s Politics, Seun Okinbaloye in Abuja. The host asked Governor Aiyedatiwa, what is the security situation in Ondo State? The governor replied that the situation is improving. For this writer, the Governor Aiyedatiwa’s answer to Okinbaloye’s question is grossly misleading, inaccurate and in conflict with the realities of terrorism and kidnapping in Ondo State. However, the bitter truth is, the terrorist and kidnapping incidents in Ondo State are increasing, perhaps on a daily basis. Imagine that recently the traditional ruler of Odo- Oriya in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Adeniyi Adelana was kidnapped.

But, I vividly recalled that the 6 state governors of the Southwest Governors Forum were hosted by the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo- Olu at the Governor’s House, in Alausa, to examine, analyze, discuss the spiking security problems, on several occasions (on June 10, 2024; February 13, 2025 and October 26, 2021.), to examine, analyze, discuss and provide solutions to the problems of insecurity in the region. The meetings gave rise to some important decisions, agreements and a roadmap for action to combating terrorism and curbing kidnapping activities in the Southwestern Nigeria. More than two years later, what happens to the Lagos Security Accord to fighting insecurity in the Southwestern Nigeria Region in 2026? Why is the Lagos Security Accord and Plan for action in the Southwestern Nigeria, which is facing an unnecessary delay in its implementation? Against this unnecessary delay, in the meantime, the kidnapping of 40 schoolchildren and with their teachers occurred in Oniire Local Government Area of Oyo State in Nigeria.

This sad incident and news of kidnapping the schoolchildren in Nigeria, took me down the memory lane to the abduction of the 267 Chibok schoolgirls in 2014. A historic incident of mass kidnapping of the schoolchildren in Nigeria by the Boko Haram terrorists that shook the country to its foundations, carried out condemnations of the barbaric actions and incentivized sympathy from the world leaders as well. However, 12 years following the incident of the Chibok schoolgirls’ mass abduction, this writer is still seriously concerned about what the Nigerian governments are doing at the federal, state and local levels concerning the security plans to provide a secure, safe and conducive learning environment for the Nigerian schoolchildren?