Southern group urges action on rising insecurity

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The Southern Solidarity Alliance has called on the Federal Government to lead coordinated efforts with state and local governments to tackle worsening insecurity across Southern Nigeria, warning that banditry, kidnapping and armed attacks have become an urgent national emergency.

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In a statement dated June 15, the group said criminal activities across the South had evolved into “coordinated and recurring threats” undermining public confidence in security institutions and disrupting economic and social life.

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“The rising wave of banditry and kidnapping across Southern Nigeria and indeed the entire country constitutes a serious national security emergency that demands immediate and sustained intervention,” the group said.

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“This dangerous situation is totally unacceptable,” it added.

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Signed by National Coordinator, Ndubuisi Okafor, and Head of the Directorate of Publicity, Emmanuel Ogheneganaye, the statement cited incidents in states including Abia, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Oyo and Ekiti, where communities reportedly experienced killings, kidnappings for ransom and attacks on highways and rural areas.

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The group expressed concern over what it described as increasing attacks on vulnerable populations, including schoolchildren, teachers, travellers, traders and farmers.

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Referring to reported incidents in Oyo State, particularly in Oriire Local Government Area, the group said the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers underscored the vulnerability of schools and rural communities to armed criminal networks.

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It also noted reports of growing banditry in Ogun and Osun states, as well as alleged interceptions of suspected bandits in transit in parts of Lagos.

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“In the South-East and South-South regions, states such as Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu and Edo continue to experience various forms of insecurity and fears of insecurity ranging from kidnapping to forceful occupation of people’s land by herdsmen.

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“Our ancestral forests are forcefully occupied by strangers while we look on,” the statement read.

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The alliance said emerging security threats suggested the existence of cross-border criminal networks operating across regions, calling for stronger intelligence gathering and inter-agency cooperation.

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“This evolving pattern requires urgent intelligence-driven collaboration among security agencies, state governments, and community structures to prevent further escalation,” it said.

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Among its recommendations, the group urged the deployment of military air and ground forces to forests, the creation of state police, the establishment of community vigilante groups and the installation of CCTV cameras and command centres across local governments.

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It also called for the acquisition of drones by state governments for surveillance purposes and greater operational capacity for security agencies.

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The alliance advocated improved inter-agency coordination, community policing and intelligence sharing among affected states.

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It further urged the Federal Government to discontinue negotiations with terrorist groups and the policy of rehabilitating repentant terrorists.

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“All federal, state and/or LG government meetings and negotiations with terrorists, and the issue of repentant terrorists, should all be cancelled forthwith since they have not helped at all; rather, they are worsening the situation,” the statement said.

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The group also called on the Federal Government to seek support from countries with experience in combating terrorism.

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Beyond security operations, the alliance said addressing insecurity requires investments in youth development and rural economies.

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“We further emphasise that insecurity thrives where governance gaps exist.

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“Therefore, beyond military and police interventions, there must be deliberate investment in youth engagement, economic empowerment, and rural development to reduce vulnerability to criminal recruitment,” the statement said.

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The group urged President Bola Tinubu, state governors and local government chairmen to collaborate on measures to dismantle kidnapping syndicates, secure forests, and protect schools, highways, and rural communities.

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“The Southern Solidarity Alliance stands in solidarity with all victims of banditry and kidnapping across Southern Nigeria and the entire country,” the statement said.

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