States in the South-West have stepped up border security following a surge of attacks and killings in Kwara State by suspected bandits and terrorists.
Security chiefs in Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo confirmed on Thursday that they had activated containment measures to prevent fleeing gunmen from crossing into their territories amid ongoing military operations in Kwara.
The Federal Government also disclosed that intelligence agencies were tracking the movement of bandits attempting to infiltrate the region. Sources said a detailed report on the threat had reached the highest levels of government, with a containment strategy already in motion.
Kwara has suffered a spate of deadly attacks in recent weeks. On September 29, gunmen killed at least 12 members of a local forest guard unit in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area, leaving four others injured and a traditional chief dead.
Earlier, on September 23, suspected terrorists raided Maganiko Ndanangi in Edu LGA, abducting a woman and a teenage girl. Days later, another assault on Oke-Ode left 15 vigilantes, a traditional ruler, and other residents dead, with five more abducted.
The bandits also carried out coordinated raids in Patigi and Lafiagi, killing a pregnant woman and abducting at least 18 people, forcing many villagers to flee to Ilorin and nearby towns.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the killings and called for stronger military presence. On Thursday, he visited Oke-Ode alongside security chiefs to commiserate with bereaved families, pledging enhanced protection. The Nigerian Air Force has since deployed fighter jets to support ground troops and provide surveillance.
Despite these measures, residents remain fearful, with many criticising the government’s response as inadequate
Oyo Amotekun Corps Commander, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd.), assured residents that the state was prepared for any attempted incursion, while dismissing fears of a spillover from Kwara.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, offered to collaborate with the Kwara government to curb the violence, urging the Federal Government to bring culprits to justice and warning against complacency on security matters.
In Osun, police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi said seven tactical teams had been deployed to border communities, with traditional rulers directed to report suspicious activities.
The Ondo Police Command confirmed that mobile officers had been stationed across its 18 LGAs, with checkpoints and intelligence operations intensified along border communities.
Ekiti’s Security Adviser, Brig.-Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (retd.), disclosed that troops and police had been deployed to boundary areas, adding that operations were being coordinated with forces in Oyo, Osun, and Kwara. “This time around, we don’t want them to infiltrate the South-West,” he said.
The Ekiti Amotekun Corps Commander, Brig.-Gen. Olu Adewa (retd.), urged residents to report strange movements and assist with intelligence sharing
Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, warned that insurgency, terrorism, and banditry remained serious threats across Nigeria and the wider Sahel. Speaking at the closing of Exercise Haske Biyu in Jaji, he stressed the need for regional cooperation, saying, “At the end of the day, the only thing we must do is to look for the bad guys and take them out.”
He noted that porous borders were being exploited by armed groups, urging security forces to combine regional operations with community cooperation to deny bandits safe havens.
The Defence Chief also commended the media for shaping public perception of military operations, urging officers trained at the exercise to deliver results in the field.
AFCSC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Alhaji, explained that the 2025 exercise — the largest in recent years — was themed “Family and National Security” to highlight the link between social stability a
