IBADAN – Nigeria’s Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has raised the alarm that terrorists from the northwestern region of the country are fleeing to the southwestern state.
According to Makinde, the development is due to a continued “military onslaught” in the northwestern region which has forced the terrorists – locally dubbed as bandits in the country to flee to Ibadan.
The Oyo State governor made this known at the 2025 annual inter-faith service for workers held in Agodi area of Ibadan, the state capital, and vowed to smoke out the fleeing bandits and deal with them.
His words: “The year 2024 was challenging, particularly in terms of safety and security.
“We had incidents of fire outbreaks, armed robberies, and kidnappings. However, in 2025, we will redouble our efforts to address these issues.
“During a security briefing this morning, I learned that some bad elements from the North-West are relocating here due to military heat in their zones. But we will find and deal with them.
“During my birthday retreat, bandits had camped less than two kilometres from where I was staying.
“This underscores the seriousness of the situation.
Makinde, however, urged residents and traditional rulers to report any suspicious movements.
“To our traditional rulers, who are custodians of your domains, and to all residents, this is no joke. If you see suspicious movements, report them immediately,” he said.
“For us in Oyo, bandits will have no foothold. I will not sleep until every inch of this state is safe.”
Insecurity and violence in Nigeria
For more than a decade, civilians in Nigeria have faced multiple security threats and risk of atrocities as result of attacks, kidnappings and extortion by various non-state armed groups.
Armed groups and gangs, including so-called “bandits,” have – for many years – perpetrated widespread atrocities, including murder, rape, kidnapping, organized cattle-rustling and plunder. Armed herdsmen are also destroying vast swaths of farmland, prompting many farmers to abandon their land out of fear of attack.
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