Red Alert: Security threat in Yorubaland

Whenever we raise an alarm about the continued invasion of Yorubaland and the security threats against our people, many Yoruba folks, especially those resident in Lagos, do not consider it an issue that affects them. Most worrisome, is the deliberate silence of many whom ordinarily should be vocal about this, including Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos state, but have rather chosen not to.

Lagos is gradually turning to a den of criminals and terrorists, basically because some people are more interested in their 2023 Political ambitions, rather than our collective security. 

Only recently, a mob of northern motorcyclists and drug peddlers killed an engineer in broad daylight at his Royal Estate in my Isheri neighborhood, in Lagos. These guys who illegally occupies a large expanse of land where they built their shanties are notorious and well known for daylight drugs peddling, always armed with sophisticated weapons and remains accommodated in such centre of a “Mega City”, without any action taken by the Lagos State government or the security agencies. 

There is virtually no Lagos neighborhood today, from Ikoyi to Ajah, Lagos Island to Ikorodu, Yaba to Ikotun, or name it, without this clusters of largely undocumented foreigners (having realised that many of them are from Chad, Niger etc). Therefore, if anyone is still under the illusion that Lagos is safe, then you are on a long thing. In the last few months, I have witnessed in parts of Lagos, how these foreigners unleash terror and kill people, before disappearing, without any traceable link.

If anyone is still not cleared about why there is an aggressive media campaign against Governor Seyi Makinde and “his Amotekun” in Oyo State, this is simply the reason. Just like the case of Lagos, it is some “Afonja” Yoruba people, mainly opposition politicians, that are leading the campaign against Amotekun in Oyo, a state that has the widest access route for any possible invasion of Yorubaland by these invading militias from the sahel. These people are desperate to please their Abuja lords, who have continually endorsed these attacks on our people, just because of their 2023 political ambitions. 

On the eve of the new year, a friend left Abuja with his wife and children, to celebrate the new year in the Southwest, his car ran into kidnappers somewhere in Osun State and he was taken away while the wife and children were left behind. The wife was able to locate a nearby Police Station, and thereafter the kidnappers established contacts with her and made their demands for ramsome. You know what, all negotiations for the ransom and the directives from the kidnappers on where it should be paid, took place in the presence of the police, at their station. He was lucky to return alive after the payment of ransom. 

Only yesterday, we received the sad news of the murder of an old friend who was abducted on his farm around Ibadan, ransome paid by the family, yet murdered by these invaders, who have taken over virtually all farm settlement across the state.

Every right thinking individuals across Yorubaland, should not only be more vigilant than before, but rather encourage serious actions as such, that are being taken by Governor Makinde in Oyo and Rotimi Akeredolu in Ondo State. 

Since the launch of the Western Nigeria Security Network code named “Operation Amotekun” only these 2 states of Oyo and Ondo, have recorded series of positive interventions from the operations of the Amotekun, added to few rescue missions also recorded in Ekiti State. In Ogun State, it is not certain if the Governor can still remember the brand identity of Amotekun any longer. Several communities in the State are yet under the siege of these invaders. 

There is no doubt that many of those opportunistic characters occupying positions in Yorubaland today, will rather have your lives sacrificed, rather than sacrificing their political ambitions. We must therefore rise and speak against the ravaging invasion of our homestead by these aliens. 

Who knows the next victim? It may be you. You can say God forbid.

Olufemi Lawson

Lagos