In Brief
By Segun Onibiyo and Olatunde Marolan
LAGOS, Nigeria – Armed Fulani militants, previously confined to Nigeria’s northwest, are now infiltrating the southwest, transforming peaceful towns into conflict zones. States including Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo face a surge in insurgent activity as militants establish forest strongholds, carry out abductions, and issue threats of territorial conquest.
Local security forces report that dozens of militant cells have taken root in the dense forest corridors of the region. “They have surrounded the entire region,” said Commander Adetunji Adeleye, head of Ondo State’s Amotekun security network. “Our intelligence confirms they are planting camps, recruiting scouts, and stockpiling arms. This is not mere banditry—it is an invasion.”
Recent high-profile abductions have further underscored the growing crisis. Retired Major General Maharazu Tsiga was kidnapped in Kogi State and held for nearly four weeks until a ransom secured his release. Similarly, Prince Eniola Ojajuni, National President of the Afenifere Youth Council, was ambushed near a military checkpoint in Ondo State. Ojajuni, who endured beatings and mock executions in multiple camps, revealed that militants operate as many as 27 camps in Ondo alone.
Southwest state governors are now mobilizing coordinated security efforts, working closely with local vigilante groups and forest hunters. New measures include enhanced intelligence gathering, better armaments, and the creation of rapid-response units. “This is a war of ideology and occupation,” said a senior aide to the Ondo governor. “Our goal is to root them out from every tree line, cave, and trail to protect our ancestral lands.”
Experts warn that the militants’ expansion threatens not only regional stability but also vital economic infrastructure, including oil transport and agricultural supply chains. Without a decisive national counterinsurgency strategy, Nigeria risks a deeper crisis with international implications.
Segun Onibiyo and Olatunde Marolan are conflict reporters for TruthNigeria.
