Yoruba Warlord, Gani Adams, Blames Insecurity In South West On Govt, To Address It

By Ayodele Oni 

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has criticised the politicization of recruitment into the various security outfits, saying competence has often been sacrificed for patronage, thereby weakening operational efficiency.

Adams also exonerated himself from the rising insecurity in the Southwest, insisting that he repeatedly warned political leaders about the looming crisis long before it escalated.

Adams spoke on Wednesday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, where he detailed a series of intelligence alerts, proposals, and engagements with state actors which he said were largely ignored.

He described the current security situation in the region as unprecedented, noting that the Southwest, once relatively stable, is now grappling with kidnapping, armed attacks, and killings.

According to him, the crisis developed gradually over time, particularly in agrarian and border communities, where early signs of infiltration by armed groups were evident but not addressed.

Adams pointed out that his warnings predated his installation as Aare Ona Kakanfo in 2018, recalling that he had raised concerns about movements of armed elements in parts of Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa.

“If you want to blame anybody on the issue of insecurity in the Southwest, don’t blame me. I raised awareness and pushed for proactive measures before things got out of hand,” he said.

He added that intelligence reports at the time indicated a growing presence of non-state actors with sophisticated weapons, but the alerts were not taken seriously.

On calls for him to take decisive action as Aare Ona Kakanfo, Adams clarified that the role no longer carries the military authority it once had in pre-colonial times.

“I am not a ceremonial Aare, but we are operating under a modern state where security is controlled by government. You cannot just take independent security decisions without approval.”

He explained that unlike the historical structure under the old Oyo Empire, where the Aare had war powers, Nigeria’s current legal framework places security control in the hands of government authorities.

Adams warned that acting outside this structure could lead to legal consequences, including arrest or detention.

He stressed the need for stronger collaboration between government and grassroots security structures, noting that without official backing, expectations placed on traditional institutions would remain limited.

The Aare also revealed that he had written to Southwest governors shortly after assuming office, proposing a regional security summit. He said it took over a year before a coordinated response emerged, leading to the Ibadan conference that birthed the Amotekun Corps.

While acknowledging Amotekun as a significant initiative, Adams criticised its decentralised structure, arguing that the absence of a unified command weakened its effectiveness.

‘Security is not something you handle in isolation, especially when threats are interconnected,” he said.

He also pointed to uneven implementation across states, singling out Lagos State for not fully operationalising the outfit, while commending Oyo and Ondo states for stronger commitment.

“We are not lacking in manpower; what we lack is coordination and political will,” he said.