Western Nigeria Security Summit Sounds Alarm on Terror Threats, Calls for Regional Action
By HeadlineNews Staff Writer | April 4, 2025
In a powerful and emotionally charged address, the Planning Committee of the Western Nigeria Security Summit, held at Oranmiyan Hall, Ikeja on Thursday, April 3, 2025, delivered a clarion call to action on the worsening security crisis gripping the South West and neighbouring states. The summit, organized by the Yoruba Assembly in partnership with various Pan-Yoruba groups, drew over 1,000 delegates from across the region.
Speaking on behalf of the Planning Committee, Adewale Adeoye painted a stark picture of a region under siege, describing the violent encroachment on indigenous lands by well-armed terrorist elements, the systematic destruction of forests and farmlands, and the mass displacement and murder of local communities.
“We Have No Place to Run”
Adeoye emphasized the spiritual and economic significance of the land and forests to the indigenous peoples of Western Nigeria, which includes Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, Kogi, Edo, and Delta States. He declared that the forests are not just ecological assets, but the lifeblood of the people’s culture, livelihood, and identity—now all under existential threat.
“The forest is our mother. It is our health, our spirituality. Any attack on our forest is an assault on our livelihood, on our past, present and future,” he said.
A Decade of Invasion, A Legacy of Resistance
The summit’s address traced the current crisis to more than a decade of violence, with farming communities displaced, farmlands torched, women and children kidnapped or raped, and food insecurity rising to unprecedented levels. Despite deep frustration, Adeoye affirmed the people’s historic resilience and warned that their patience is wearing thin.
“Our people are tired, but not too weak to resist… We have waited for more than a decade for freedom.”
Alarming Food Insecurity and Economic Collapse
South West agriculture, once the bedrock of the regional economy, has been devastated by ongoing attacks. Farmers are afraid to return to their fields; sacred streams are polluted; and once-thriving fishing and hunting communities have been scattered. The resulting food insecurity is severe and widespread, with local production of both cash and staple crops in steep decline.
Rising Death Toll and Unchecked Terrorism
The summit recounted a series of high-profile killings of traditional rulers in Ekiti and Kogi States, including the murders of Oba David Ogunsakin and Oba Olatunde Olusola in January 2024, and Chief David Obadofin who died in captivity in 2023. Many forest regions across the region have reportedly become “frontiers of death,” with armed groups operating with impunity in areas such as Ondo, Ogun, Ibadan-Okeogun axis, and parts of Kwara, Edo, and Delta.
Double Standards and the Edo Killings
While condemning recent mob killings in Edo State, the Committee criticized the selective outrage expressed by northern leaders, contrasting it with their silence on years of terrorism-related killings across the Middle Belt and South West.
“They’ve set up a committee in Kano to fish out the killers in Edo, but where were they when our people were massacred in Owo, or when four traditional rulers were murdered in Yoruba land?” Adeoye asked.
Terrorism Financing and Foreign Involvement
The Committee warned that terrorism in the region is not a local phenomenon but an international criminal enterprise. Armed groups are reportedly well-funded, with ransom payments used to procure weapons. The BBC recently reported that N2.2 trillion was paid in ransoms across Nigeria in just two years.
Terrorists cited include foreign-trained commanders affiliated with global jihadist networks such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda. One of the suspects in the Owo Catholic Church massacre, Abdulsamat Ohida, was named among 21 individuals listed by the Federal Government as terrorism financiers in 2024.
Call to Action
In conclusion, Adeoye urged a unified front to reclaim the region’s dignity and sovereignty. He criticized the lack of urgency by both state and federal governments and warned that the situation may spiral further without decisive and collective action.
“We gather here to chart a new course—one that ensures our homeland is secure, safe, and dignified… We owe our people hope, not despair.”
The summit is expected to issue a comprehensive communique outlining action plans and regional strategies to counter terrorism and restore security to affected communities.
Headlinenews.news special team.
