Stakeholders in Oyo State have announced fresh proactive measures to curb rising insecurity within the state and its environs, calling for stronger collective efforts from residents and local authorities.
The call was made against the backdrop of escalating security concerns in parts of the country, a trend stakeholders fear may gradually spread into the Southwest if not urgently addressed.
Key participants at the meeting included the representative of the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CSP Omowole Sunday; senior officers from Operation Burst; the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII); Mogajis of Ibadanland led by Chief Asimiyu Adepoju Ariori; Baales of Ibadanland led by Baale F.D. Ige; the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN); Oluodes of Oyo State led by Chief Kehinde Edge; traditionalists led by the Araba Awo of Ibadanland, His Eminence Araba Odegbola; as well as the Chief Imam of Ibadanland and Grand Imam of Oyo State, His Eminence Sheikh AbdGaniy Abubakri Agbotomokekere, alongside Zonal Chief Imams.
Local security outfits such as Agbekoya, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), and other volunteer groups were also in attendance.
The programme was organised by the Ibadan Compounds Peace Initiative (ICPI), coordinated by Mogaji Asiwaju Nurudeen Akinade, Ph.D.
Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting held in Ibadan, CCII President-General, Barr. Ajeniyi Ajewole—represented by the Council’s Social Director, Alhaja Folasade—urged residents to speak up whenever they notice strange movements or unfamiliar faces in their communities. She stressed that timely information remains crucial in preventing breaches of security.
Other speakers, including former Chairman of the Ibadan Cultural Festival Planning Committee, Balogun Gaphar Ojetola, also charged residents to adopt proactive approaches in security matters.
In his remarks, the President of Ibadan Mogajis, Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori, emphasized that prevention remains better than cure, urging citizens to work closely with security agencies to safeguard their communities. He commended ICPI for its continuous commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
Earlier, ICPI Coordinator, Mogaji Dr. Nurudeen Akinade, explained that the initiative purposely brought together all critical stakeholders at the grassroots, noting that security challenges are fundamentally local.
“When it comes to security, it’s local. That’s why we assembled the local team here,” he said. “The state government and the Southwest governors are holding their meetings, but we are focusing on local structures—the market leaders, religious leaders, volunteers, militias, and traditional authorities from all zones of Oyo State.”
He also reiterated the importance of community vigilance:
“Our major advice is: if you see something, say something. Security cannot cover everybody,
