States in Nigeria’s South-West are strengthening security strategies in response to reports of bandits and fighters from the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) taking refuge in the region’s forests. Concerns over the migration of these elements have prompted coordinated actions from state governments and security agencies.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde raised the alarm last week, cautioning that bandits fleeing military operations in the North-West were seeking shelter in the state. During a security briefing at the Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, Makinde declared, “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.”
Similarly, Ogun State has engaged the military and police to address the potential security threat.
Adding to the tension, the Department of State Services (DSS) recently arrested 10 suspected ISWAP members in Ilesa, Osun State. The arrests were disclosed after the DSS secured a Federal High Court order to detain the suspects for 60 days. The operation highlights the growing presence of insurgents in the South-West.
However, in a response, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has called on the region’s six governors to prioritize the dismantling of insurgent camps in forests across Yoruba land.
