As bandit groups from the North continue pushing toward the southern frontier, concerns over insecurity have intensified across regions stretching from the dense Oke-Ogun forests of Oyo State to the waterways of the Niger Delta.
Investigations by Sunday Vanguard indicate that the expanding trajectory of these criminal movements now intersects key boundary areas in Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Niger and parts of Edo, heightening unease among several southern communities.
In response, southern states have shifted from viewing the threat as remote to treating it as an immediate challenge. Their strategies vary—from Oyo’s deployment of traditional hunters into remote forest corridors, to Enugu’s use of aerial surveillance, Rivers’ reinforcement of marine security assets, and Ondo’s renewed activation of Amotekun’s tactical units.
These measures reflect a combination of technology-driven policing, grassroots intelligence gathering, legal adjustments, and multi-agency collaboration. They also incorporate traditional security structures that rely on local knowledge of difficult terrains.
According to The Vanguard, Oyo State remains particularly exposed due to its expansive forest ranges and its lengthy border with Kwara. Reports of unfamiliar activities around forest zones in Igboho, Igbeti and Saki East prompted the state government to send licensed local hunters into the area as an early countermeasure.
Residents told Sunday Vanguard that the recent sightings have stirred significant anxiety.
“We cannot sleep with both eyes closed anymore,” said Bamidele, a cassava farmer in Olorunsogo. “We see strange faces in the bush that we don’t recognize. These are not regular hunters or herders. Something is clearly changing.”
Veteran hunter Pa Raufu Ajani described the deployment as necessary.
“We understand these forests better than anyone,” he said. “When unfamiliar people enter, we notice. It is good the government brought us in.”
According to CP Sunday Odukoya (rtd), Executive Assistant on Security to Governor Seyi Makinde, the engagement of hunters is only one element of a broader security approach that includes drone operations, upgraded surveillance systems, strengthened Amotekun patrols, and an expanded information network.
“Our focus is to prevent infiltration before it grows into a full-blown crisis,” he said. “Criminals don’t recognise borders, so we must constantly anticipate their moves.”
The state has tightened checkpoints, improved its command-and-control structures, and deepened its community-based intelligence framework with the support of traditional institutions. With earlier attempts by criminal elements to penetrate the Oke-Ogun forests, the Makinde administration has adopted a posture of sustained vigilance.
If you love political news or like to get more news happening around the globe, use the button below to get more verified news happening around Nigeria and the world today.
Leave a Reply