Until recently, terrorism, banditry and mass abductions were largely associated with other parts of Nigeria. Today, the South-West is increasingly grappling with the same threats, with kidnappings and attacks spreading across highways, rural communities and forest corridors. GEORGE OKOJIE, ADEBAYO WAHEED, ALO ABIOLA, FEMI OYEWESO, DAMILOLA ORIGBEMISUYI and OLAMIDE OJUOKAIYE, report
The security situation in the South West Region of Nigeria has never been grimmer in normal times, with residents of the region living in trepidation, fuelled by news and rumours of kidnapping and terrorist attacks occurring without restraint.
The sense of insecurity ostensibly engendered by the bandits’ activities has created an all-pervasive fear across the land.
Unfortunately, many people seemed resigned to fate as the bandits operate with absolute impunity, making demands and posting recorded videos of their abductees at regular intervals.
The growing wave of kidnappings across parts of South-West Nigeria has become one of the most pressing security challenges facing residents, businesses and governments in the region. What was once perceived as a crime largely confined to the North-West and North-Central zones is increasingly evident in parts of the South-West, raising concerns about public safety, economic activity and investors’ confidence.
The menace has continued to create a climate of fear among citizens, many of whom now worry not only about their personal safety but also about their loved ones. Daily commutes, interstate travel, farming activities, and even routine social engagements are increasingly perceived as security risks.
Reports of abductions on highways, in rural communities and around forest corridors have heightened public anxiety, leaving many residents fearful that they or their family members could be the next victims.
The psychological toll of the threat has been profound, with growing concerns that unchecked kidnapping could erode public confidence in security agencies’ ability to protect lives and property.
The height of it was the abduction of schoolchildren and their teachers by suspected bandits in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esinle communities in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
They were forcibly taken from their schools, leaving their families and communities in distress and uncertainty. On Friday, 15 May 2026, scores of teachers and students were abducted during coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School; and L. A Primary School, Esiele, in the local government.
As a way out of the current quagmire, security experts have called for a shift from conventional policing methods to technology-driven security operations as kidnapping and banditry continue to spread across parts of Nigeria, including the South-West.
They warned that unless urgent reforms are introduced, particularly in intelligence-gathering and surveillance, security agencies may struggle to contain increasingly sophisticated criminal networks operating across state borders and through forest corridors.
Retired Commissioner of Police and legal practitioner, Barrister Samuel Adetuyi, said Nigeria’s current policing strategy remains largely outdated, relying heavily on stop-and-search operations that are no longer effective for modern crime control.
According to him, many security challenges stem from the failure to adopt digital tools such as surveillance systems, scanners, and intelligence-based monitoring capable of detecting threats before they materialise.
Adetuyi stressed that criminals now operate with sophisticated weapons, making manual policing and forest combing inadequate. He called for a transition to technology-driven systems similar to those used in advanced countries, where surveillance and data analysis play central roles in security operations.
“Criminals today do not use primitive weapons. Kidnappers and armed robbers use sophisticated firearms, including AK-47 rifles and other dangerous weapons. Without modern detection and surveillance technology, combating them is extremely difficult,” he said.
Another security expert and former Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Joseph, also criticised what he described as the government’s failure to prioritise security infrastructure over the years.
Joseph said security agencies remain poorly equipped, noting that modern tools such as drones, aerial surveillance systems, and advanced tracking technologies are either insufficient or unavailable in many formations.
According to him, Nigeria must invest more in logistics, personnel welfare, and technology if it hopes to reverse the growing trend of insecurity.
