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Stakeholders across government, security agencies, civil society, and affected communities will gather in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, on Thursday to address the recent wave of abductions in Oyo and Kwara States at News Central TV’s Town Hall.
The forum, expected to last three hours, is themed “Oyo at a Crossroads: Security, Safety and the Future,” and will bring together victims of attacks, security experts, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and political representatives to explore solutions to rising insecurity in the South-West.
The event, anchored by News Central TV’s Bernard Akede, will feature testimonies from residents of Oriire Local Government Area in Oyo State and Eruku community in Kwara State, who will recount harrowing experiences from recent kidnappings that have left several schoolchildren and teachers missing.
“Recent events in Oriire and Eruku communities have shaken the conscience of the state and reminded us that security is not solely the responsibility of government or security agencies—it is a shared responsibility,” Akede said.
“Our objective today is simple: to give the people a platform to voice their pains and concerns, to move beyond outrage and to identify practical steps that can make our communities safer.”
Insecurity in Nigeria has continued to worsen in recent years, driven by armed banditry, kidnapping-for-ransom networks, and militant activity, with attacks increasingly spreading beyond traditional hotspots in the North into the South-West region.
States such as Oyo and Kwara, once considered relatively safer, have recently recorded violent incursions targeting schools and rural communities, heightening fears of a wider territorial expansion by criminal groups.
In Oyo State’s Oriire Local Government Area, armed men attacked three communities on May 15, 2026, including Yawota, abducting dozens of schoolchildren and teachers.
A similar attack in Eruku community in Kwara State also saw residents abducted, triggering protests and calls for a stronger security presence in border and forested areas.
These incidents reflect a broader pattern of insecurity gradually moving southward, as criminal groups exploit weak surveillance, difficult terrain, and limited security coverage to extend their operations into previously unaffected regions.
Speakers lined up for the forum include Bukola Oladipo-Adeyemi, a peace and conflict scholar; Prof. Idowu Olayinka, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan; Dr Babatunde Raphael Ojebuyi, Professor of Applied Communication and Media Studies at the University of Ibadan; and Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Founder of the School of Politics, Policy & Governance and former Minister of Education. They are expected to examine the causes of persistent insecurity in the South-West and the threats it poses to the region.
