The South-West chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on security, as President Bola Tinubu assured Nigerians that his administration would intensify efforts to tackle insecurity and ease economic hardship across the country.
CAN Urges State of Emergency
The CAN Chairman, South-West, Bishop Barnabas Akin-Akinsanya, raised concerns over what he described as the rising wave of kidnappings, banditry and violent crimes in the region and other parts of the country, warning that the South-West was increasingly vulnerable to criminal infiltration. His call came as Tinubu, through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to defeat terrorists and bandits, declaring that Nigeria would never succumb to criminal intimidation.
In a statement, Akin-Akinsanya urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on security, fast-track the creation of state police and strengthen international cooperation to dismantle criminal networks operating across the country. According to him, incidents once regarded as isolated security breaches had become recurring tragedies threatening national peace, economic stability and social cohesion. He called for a comprehensive review of the nation’s security architecture, including the deployment of modern surveillance technology, drones, intelligence systems and rapid-response capabilities to strengthen security operations.
“The South-West geopolitical zone can no longer afford complacency. Our forests, highways, farms and border communities are increasingly vulnerable to criminal infiltration. The region appears to be gradually encircled by growing security threats,” he said. The cleric also urged governors in the region to deepen inter-state security collaboration, support community-based intelligence gathering and improve surveillance.
Tinubu Vows Tougher Actions
Meanwhile, Tinubu assured Nigerians that his administration remained committed to protecting lives and property while addressing the economic challenges facing citizens. Speaking at the National Inter-Denominational Church Service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, as part of activities marking the 2026 Democracy Day celebration, Akume said the government was fully aware of the hardship, insecurity, kidnappings and displacement affecting many communities. “Government is sensitive to all these pains, shares in these pains and has heard your cries,” he said.
Akume noted that the President would intensify efforts to reduce socio-economic difficulties through the delivery of sustainable democratic dividends. On security, he said the protection of lives and property remained a top priority, adding that security agencies were being provided with the resources required to safeguard communities and preserve the country’s territorial integrity. He also assured Nigerians that securing the release of persons held captive across the country remained a national priority. “The Government of Nigeria shall never succumb to terror, banditry or any form of criminal intimidation,” Akume said.
Police Rescue Adelabu’s Sister and Twin Sons
This came as the Oyo State Police Command rescued Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke, sister of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and her 11-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, following a coordinated intelligence-led operation that left two suspected kidnappers dead and four others in custody. The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Ibadan yesterday. Abimbola said the operation was jointly carried out by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), the Oyo State Police Command and other tactical units of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to him, Mrs Adegoke and her sons were abducted on June 3, 2026, at Elewura Street, off Ring Road, Ibadan, while she was taking the children to school. He said the command immediately launched a coordinated manhunt on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, leading to intelligence breakthroughs that exposed the kidnapping syndicate behind the abduction. The police chief said investigations first led to the arrest of Wale Abolalewa, popularly known as “Oloro”, a suspect already on the police watchlist. His arrest subsequently led investigators to another key suspect, Dare Oyedele, alias “Solution”.
Preliminary findings, according to Abimbola, showed that members of the gang had attempted to recruit an insider within the victim’s household in May as part of a surveillance operation. Investigators also discovered that the suspects monitored the family’s movements, daily routines and the schools attended by the children before carrying out the abduction. The police further recovered photographs and other digital evidence allegedly used in tracking the family’s activities. Abimbola said intelligence gathering eventually led operatives to a hideout in the Lado community of the Ayegun area of Ibadan, where a rescue operation was launched on June 6.
“Upon sighting the advancing operatives, one of the gang members, identified as Kelechi, who came from Lagos State and acted as a lookout, engaged our officers in a gun duel. The operatives responded effectively, resulting in the neutralisation of Kelechi and another unidentified gang member,” he said. He added that the victims were rescued unharmed, placed in protective custody and later reunited with their family. The commissioner said Abolalewa and Oyedele were assisting investigators, while two other suspects, Semiu Ishola, 39, and Adeyemi Ayobami, 35, were arrested for allegedly facilitating the use of the gang’s hideout.
Items recovered from the suspects included three pump-action guns, 14 live cartridges, an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla allegedly used for the operation, a battle axe, a hammer, face masks, charms and substances suspected to be hard drugs. Abimbola said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate who escaped during the operation, noting that some were believed to have sustained gunshot wounds. He appealed to hospitals, traditional bone setters and other healthcare providers to report persons presenting suspicious gunshot injuries to the nearest police station. The police commissioner also urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely information to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains crucial in the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes. He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, vowing that criminal elements operating in Oyo State would be tracked down and brought to justice.
NAF Deploys Aerial Surveillance for Abducted Teachers and Pupils
Still on Oyo State, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed aerial surveillance assets to support efforts to rescue teachers and pupils abducted from Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele communities in Oriire Local Government Area. Governor Seyi Makinde disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the representative of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, and the Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Suleh, at the weekend. Makinde said the Air Force promptly deployed an aerial surveillance platform immediately after the abduction was reported, providing critical intelligence to support ongoing search-and-rescue operations.
According to the governor, intelligence gathered from the surveillance missions has continued to assist security agencies in tracking developments and coordinating efforts aimed at securing the safe release of the victims. He appealed to residents to remain patient and supportive, assuring them that all necessary resources were being deployed to ensure a successful outcome. Makinde commended the Chief of the Air Staff and the NAF for their swift response and sustained support, noting that the surveillance platform was made available while the state’s newly acquired aerial assets were still being assembled at the Air Force base in Lagos. The governor explained that the state procured the platforms after consultations with the NAF to ensure access to maintenance support, engineering expertise and pilot training. He expressed confidence that the assets would strengthen security operations across Oyo State and neighbouring states once fully operational.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Suleh conveyed the solidarity of the Air Force with the government and people of Oyo State. He reaffirmed the NAF’s commitment to supporting ongoing efforts to secure the safe return of the abducted teachers and pupils.
AFRICOM Reaffirms Security Partnership with Nigeria
On the international scene, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening security cooperation with Nigeria in efforts to combat terrorism in the North-East. In a post shared on X yesterday, AFRICOM said ongoing operations conducted in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria demonstrate the value of the longstanding partnership between both countries in addressing extremist threats in the region. “Committed to protecting our people and our interests. In coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, operations in Northeastern Nigeria underscore the value of our partnership,” the command stated.
AFRICOM added that the United States and Nigeria would continue to work together to pursue and neutralise terrorist groups operating in the region. An image accompanying the post showed senior Nigerian military officers and United States defence officials, including Dagvin Anderson, Commander of AFRICOM. Speaking on the collaboration, Anderson commended the role of Nigerian security forces in the operation. “The Nigerians have been instrumental throughout the last several months developing the target, helping us with the intelligence, and providing support,” he said. He added that the operation highlighted the strategic capabilities the United States could bring to security efforts in partnership with allied nations.
Okogwu Blames Governance Failures for Insecurity
Meanwhile, a disability advocate and policy strategist, Chike Okogwu, has argued that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity cannot be resolved through military force alone, saying the crisis is driven by governance failures, weak institutions and declining public trust. Okogwu stated this in a policy essay titled ‘The Man, The Rottweilers and The Marauders: Nigeria Cannot Afford to Keep Holding the Leash,’ in which he examined the country’s security architecture and the limitations of a force-centred approach to combating violence.
According to him, although security agencies have recorded successes against insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other armed groups, the persistence of violence indicates that the underlying challenges extend beyond military action. He maintained that sustainable peace would only be achieved when security is approached as a governance issue rather than solely a military responsibility. “Security cannot be achieved through weapons alone. It requires effective governance, economic opportunity, community trust, intelligence and justice. Most importantly, it requires leadership,” he said.
Using an analogy to illustrate his argument, Okogwu compared Nigeria’s security system to a guarded estate protected by trained Rottweiler dogs that are restrained by their owner while intruders wreak havoc. He explained that the dogs symbolise security personnel, while the estate owner represents political leadership. According to him, the analogy reflects a situation in which security operatives are expected to deliver results despite facing challenges such as inadequate logistics, delayed intelligence, conflicting directives and political interference. “The dogs are capable and ready, but they are held back. Yet when damage is done, they are blamed for failing to protect the estate,” he said. Okogwu stressed that addressing insecurity requires stronger leadership, improved governance structures, economic opportunities for citizens and greater public confidence in state institutions.
FixPolitics Demands Urgent Action Over School Abductions
Also, the citizens-led advocacy group, #FixPolitics Africa, has called on federal and state governments to take urgent and decisive steps to end the recurring abduction of schoolchildren and teachers across Nigeria, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the country’s future. The group expressed concern over the recent abduction of 42 pupils and students from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, as well as the killing of abducted teacher Michael Oyedokun in Oyo State.
In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Anthony Ubani, the organisation described the incidents as more than isolated criminal acts, saying they constitute an attack on Nigerian children, families, the education system and state authority. Ubani criticised what he described as an inadequate response from government authorities, noting that Children’s Day celebrations were held across the country while some children and teachers remained in captivity. “A nation cannot honestly celebrate children while some of its children are in forests and in the hands of terrorists and kidnappers,” he said. “Public statements are not enough. Condemnation is not rescue. Sympathy is not a strategy. The first duty of government is the protection of life, and on this test, the Nigerian state is failing too many citizens.”
The group argued that the repeated abductions of pupils and teachers reflect broader challenges in leadership, governance, intelligence gathering, accountability and political will. While acknowledging President Bola Tinubu’s directive to security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and strengthen measures for protecting schools, #FixPolitics maintained that such actions would remain insufficient until the abducted victims were safely returned.
