By Dapo Akinrefon

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams and former Commander of Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC, Maj.-Gen. Ishola Williams (retd) have tasked President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to urgently legislate on the framework for the actualisation of state police to enhance the nation’s security architecture.

They made the call while renewing their call for the establishment of state and local government police forces as a was of tackling worsening insecurity in Nigeria.

Speaking during a virtual International Conference, themed, ‘Changing Face of Insecurity in Yorubaland,’ organised by Yoruba One Voice, YOV, Adams stated that the current centralised policing system is inadequate for addressing localised and mounting security threats.

He noted that decentralised policing would empower states to better protect their citizens, improve intelligence gathering, and build trust between law enforcement and communities.

Adams expressed deep concern over the recent surge in violent crimes in the Southwest, particularly the unprecedented kidnapping of 39 students and 7 teachers from three schools in the Ogbomoso area of Oyo State on May 15, 2026.

He emphasised the necessity of collaboration between government authorities and private security stakeholders.

He urged the governors of South West to deepen partnerships with grassroots security groups, particularly the Southwest Security Stakeholders’ Group (SSSG), a coalition of 14. security-relevant groups, which he leads.

In his address, the keynote speaker at the conference, Maj. Gen. Ishola Williams (retd), said that country’s main challenge stems from the lack of public safety rather than the country being insecure.
He observed that there were already multiple layers of security groups such as the Amotekun Corps in the Southwest, and the Neighbourhood Watch in Lagos State, which should complement the efforts of the men of the Nigeria Police Force.

He, however, noted that the groups were “ill-equipped to effectively gather and share intelligence, and to also combat the terrorists who possess superior arms.”

Williams said it was important for citizens to hold state governors to account for how the security votes being alloted to them were being spent.

While he called for unity in Yorubaland and among royal fathers, he advocated roles for traditional rulers at the grassroot in tackling the pervading insecurity.

“We need to discuss what should be our shared responsibilities for better governance of our states and the country, and in tackling insecurity decisively across board,” he said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Secretary-General, YOV, Prince Adedokun Ademiluyi, explained that the escalating insecurity in Yorubaland and the need for an urgent solution was what motivated the coalition to organise the conference.

He expressed confidence that after the stakeholders’ deliberate on the worsening security challenges, there will be genuine cooperation among all security actors to transform the current insecurity crisis into an opportunity for peace, progress, and prosperity in land.

On her part, the Organising Secretary of YOV, Mrs Victoria Harley, noted that the dangerous spread of insecurity in Yorubaland called for serious action from all leaders and security stakeholders.

She said it was important for all stakeholders to collaborate in addressing the distressing security concerns.

Similarly, Prof. Kolawole Raheem stressed the need for unity in Yorubaland, especially among the traditional rulers, to effectively rid the region of insecurity. He also canvassed the need for leaders in the region to be proactive in attending to security issues before they fester.