South-West in Trouble: Governors Need to Show Akeredolu’s Courage

The main job of any government is to protect lives and property. Everything else comes second. Economic growth, infrastructure, education, and healthcare all depend on security. When security breaks down, everything else suffers.

This is why the worsening security situation in South-West Nigeria should worry every citizen, especially the governors in the area. Sadly, insecurity has slowly spread into the South-West, with Oyo State becoming a major hotspot. What used to be a problem in the North-East, North-West, and parts of the North-Central is now a real issue in a region once known for its peace.

As someone who studies security in Africa, I have looked into issues across the continent. From Senegal in the west to the Horn of Africa, I have studied conflict zones in Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Congo, and South Sudan. I have spent years watching how insecurity grows and settles in vulnerable areas. The warning signs are usually clear. What starts as small incidents can turn into bigger problems. What seems unrelated often connects to a larger security issue.

Many of us who study these matters have pointed out the weaknesses along Nigeria’s South-West border. We have seen what is happening in the Central Sahel and how extremist groups are spreading. We warned that Oke Ogun in Oyo State and nearby border areas were especially at risk, as terrorists have taken over parts of northern Benin Republic. Nigeria shares a long border with Benin, and we cannot afford to be careless.

The signs are becoming harder to ignore. The insecurity in Oyo State has not appeared out of nowhere. It has been building up over time. There was a terrible explosion in Ibadan that shocked the nation and showed serious governance failures afterward. Instead of focusing on the disaster, people found out that money meant for help was stuck in fixed deposits while victims waited for aid.

Then there was the attack near Old Oyo National Park. After that, Ogbomoso faced repeated incidents linked to terrorists. Most recently, kidnappers struck in the heart of Ibadan, showing that no area is safe from crime anymore. These events create a worrying pattern that needs the full attention of policymakers and security officials.

What is even more alarming is the growing link between drug production and insecurity in parts of the South-West. The recent discovery of a meth lab in Abidagba should not just be seen as a drug enforcement issue. Around the same time, armed men kidnapped many students and teachers in Oyo State. Just being close does not mean there is a connection. But when organized crime and violent actions happen in the same places, responsible governments must take notice.

The evidence from West Africa is clear. Drug trafficking and insecurity often feed into each other. Since Boko Haram started causing violence in 2009, we have seen how illegal economies and armed groups connect more clearly across Nigeria. Criminal groups usually work in linked networks. Drug traffickers make a lot of money, while violent groups need funds, transport, safe spaces, and access to illegal markets.

No serious security leaders, as governors often claim to be, should ignore these developments. What is most disappointing is how political leaders have responded. Instead of tackling the growing problem with urgency and smart plans, some have tried to explain away security incidents as being politically motivated or related to elections. Such excuses are lazy and dangerous. They replace serious security analysis with political convenience.

Criminality should never be reduced to political talking points. The state must face all forms of crime without mixing it with ethnic issues or group labeling. The dangerous trend of linking insecurity to ethnicity hides the real issue, weakens trust, and distracts from the urgent need to protect citizens. At moments like this, we remember the leadership of the late Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.

This is not the time for excuses. It is not the time for political games. It is not the time for denial. Now is the time to act. The current governors must find the spirit of Arakunrin Akeredolu. They need to rise above party politics, take their responsibilities seriously, and lead as needed.

No matter your political views, Akeredolu showed courage, determination, and clear thinking on security. When the federal government resisted the establishment of Amotekun, Akeredolu did not back down. He knew protecting his people required bold steps. He rallied his fellow governors, defended the initiative, and helped create a security structure that is now key for community policing in the South-West.

He was ready to challenge the norm when it was necessary. Today, many citizens wonder if the current South-West governors have the same courage, creativity, and sense of urgency. The threats in the region are changing quickly, but the political response often seems slow and uncoordinated. The South-West does not need panic. It needs strong leadership.

Governors must boost intelligence gathering, improve cooperation among security forces, strengthen community security efforts, invest in border patrols, tackle the criminal economies behind violence, and ensure that Amotekun grows into a stronger, intelligence-led body.

Most importantly, they must show the political bravery needed to face new threats before they take root. History gives us many examples of regions that ignored early warning signs until insecurity became a part of daily life. The South-West still has a chance to avoid that fate. But these chances do not last forever.

This is not the time for excuses. It is not the time for political games. It is not the time for denial. Now is the time to act. The current governors must find the spirit of Arakunrin Akeredolu. They need to rise above party politics, take their responsibilities seriously, and lead as needed.

The people of South-West Nigeria deserve nothing less.