Alaafin, Emir, Oluwo, Olubadan, Igwe Obosi, Others: How Worsening Insecurity Can Be Tackled Decisively

Prominent traditional rulers across Nigeria have weighed in on the persistent insecurity troubling the country, offering grassroots-level insights and solutions to mitigate the crisis.

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Osun State, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, advocated for the recruitment of more personnel into the Nigerian Police Force and a significant increase in their monthly salaries to boost morale and effectiveness.

In a similar vein, the Lowa Adimula of Ile-Ife, His Royal Highness Adekola Abraham Adeyeye, attributed the growing insecurity to the inadequate funding of security agencies, urging the government to prioritize resource allocation.

From the Southeast, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, Chairman of the Anambra Traditional Rulers Council and Obi of Obosi in Idemili North LGA, stated that communities across Anambra are actively involved in maintaining local security. Likewise, the Emir of Ilorin, Mai-Martaba Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, emphasised that the Kwara State Traditional Council is in close collaboration with the state government and security agencies to reduce crime.

In the Southwest, the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade I, cautioned against the erosion of indigenous knowledge systems by Western cultural influences, suggesting that native intelligence should be embraced in addressing local security challenges. Meanwhile, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin (Ige Olakulehin Ige I), stressed that traditional rulers have various means of curbing insecurity within their domains.

From Ogun State, the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Abdulkabir Obalanlege, noted that his kingdom remains largely secure, but recommended tackling insecurity through youth employment. He also encouraged royal fathers to remain accessible and lead by example.

In the Niger Delta, King Philip Osaro Obele, the Oneh-Eh Eleme of Rivers State, called on the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, to pay greater attention to the needs of oil-producing communities to prevent unrest. Likewise, the Agankyu of Kakanda Kingdom in Kogi State, HRH Mallam Muhammad Sanni, urged the state government to intervene urgently in ongoing bandit attacks affecting his people.

In Bayelsa State, King Moses Theophilus (Kenibara VII), the Amadabo of Moko-Ama in Brass LGA, lamented that some traditional rulers have compromised their roles. He stressed the need for synergy between government and local communities in order to establish lasting peace.

What govt should do to tackle insecurity- Osun monarchs

Speaking with Saturday Telegraph, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi said: “The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should consider recruiting about five million able men into the Nigerian Police and equally increase the monthly salary of security operatives.

“Nigeria, with not less than 250 million population, has a police strength of less than 300,000. In addition to that, the government must also improve our database and provide electronic gadgets that’ll assist the police to have access to individual information irrespective of the location.

“Operation-carry-your identification-card must be enforced. With this, criminals and bandits will find it difficult to move around us,” the royal father said.

Echoing a similar view, the Lowa Adimula of Ile-Ife, His Royal Highness Adekola Abraham Adeyeye, attributed insecurity to inadequate funding and resources for security agencies.

Oba Adeyeye emphasised the need for the government to pay attention to local security, saying strengthening the local security will assist in the fight against the deteriorating security.

He urged the government to empower the traditional rulers and empower them so as to be able to protect their immediate environment.

“In the past, at Ile-Ife’s first police station, officers were well treated. Now, we should let indigenes of each state serve as police officers within their state, ensuring loyalty and better protection,” he stated.

Government should strengthen local security networks, especially the Amotekun Corps and community vigilante groups. The role of monarchs in security should never be downplayed.

“The king of a town owns the protection of his town. It’s ridiculous to say a king is under a local government,” he said.

The Alagbeda of Agbeda, Oba Adesoji Adeniyi said knowing the origin of insecurity that has engulfed the country is essential to solving it.

Oba Adeniyi said the best way to curb the menace of insecurity is to know the secret behind the peaceful living of African forefathers.

“During the days of our fathers, how were they living together peacefully and where did we miss it that things are the way they are now?

Insecurity: Anambra monarchs partnering with PGs /government, Says Igwe Iweka 11

According to Igwe Chidubem Iweka; “Before now, it was not easy here in Anambra state when about eight local government areas were under siege of unknown gunmen and the rate of killings and kidnapping was high.

“Governor Charles Soludo came in and launched Udo Ga Chi Security Operations, which is called Agunechemba Security Squad and today I can tell you that the narrative is fast changing.

“For us the traditional rulers, we are major players in this fight against insecurity and the Anambra State government has charged us to be accountable for the security of our respective communities.

“Also the President Generals of our communities are on top of the matter and we have been working with them to clear our village of these miscreants.”

Iweka stated further that all the security architectures put in place by the state government are under their control, while urging the state government to go a step further by providing more logistics for them to sustain the operations.

Emir of Ilorin: We are working with the state govt on insecurity

Emir of Ilorin, Mai-Martaba Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, who spoke in a statement through Arowona Abdulazeez, said that the traditional council in the state has been making tremendous efforts towards ensuring that peace and security continue to thrive in the state.

“In a bid to achieve this, the traditional council is working together with the Kwara State government and security agencies with regular security meetings and daily consultations and updates on happenings in the Ilorin Emirate Council, as well as other towns and communities across the State.

“In the case of Ilorin Emirate Council which consists of five local governments: Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Ilorin South, Asa and Moro respectively, the Emir of Ilorin, being the paramount ruler, has instructed all the traditional chiefs to desist from irrational sales of land or admittance of strangers into the communities without due approval from the constituted authority and without adequate fact-check on the personality of such stranger,” he said.

The Emir said that during the recent suspected banditry attacks on some communities in Baruten and Kaiama Local Government areas, the state government summoned an emergency meeting with the traditional rulers in the state and that far-reaching consultations were done and measures were also adopted on how to ensure that Kwara State is bandit free.

He stated that the state government knows the important roles traditional rulers play to nip insecurity in the bud as they are closer to the grassroots, adding that “hence, the present administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been collaborating and consulting with traditional rulers on security related matters.”

Alaafin, Olubadan advocate improved intelligence gathering in domains

…Commend Makinde, urge govt, security agents to expedite more action

The Al‎aafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade1 said further in his own comment, that security operatives need to brainstorm on how to ensure enhanced intelligence-gathering and management towards effective combat of emerging security threats.

Speaking through his Director of Media of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, Oba Owoade observed: “We should not allow western education to destroy our native intelligence. There must be holistic synergies among our security agencies on intelligence gathering.

“Obtained raw data or information must be evaluated to provide the best possible answers to questions initially asked. The processed information must be passed on to the authority, which should apply them purposefully to national peace and development.”

The monarch said that due process, anchored on accountability, transparency and probity, is the central nature of government in Oyo Empire, adding that this was responsible for the peace in the ancient town.

Oba Owoade said: “Today, Oyo remains the most peaceful domain because we not only place a premium on respect for constituted authorities, but give our unalloyed support. But we will not accept cheating and injustice. Besides, the native intelligence gathering is so effective that all nooks and crannies of the metropolis are being closely monitored.”

This unique concept of his administration, Alaafin said, received commendations from various quarters, especially the top echelon of law enforcement agencies.

While commending Governor Seyi Makinde on his efforts at curtailing criminal activities in the state, the monarch urged security agencies to increase surveillance of motor parks, market places, hotels and public places, more, to check crime.

In his contribution, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, (Ige Olakulehin Ige 1), who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Chief Olugbenga Ayodele, suggested that there should be traditional council members’ security meeting, and sensitization of community leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders and residents on how to prevent insecurity in their communities.

Olubadan believes that “the government is trying in the area of insecurity prevention, but needs to seriously do more for the government’s main duty is protection of life and property.”

Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi AbdulKabir Obalanlege: Ota is safe

Oba Obalanlege stated that in a place like the Niger Delta and some rural areas, the rate of employment is low and that as a result; most of the youths go into crime.

“But here in Ota, I convene a monthly meeting of security monitoring teams and that includes the Nigerian army and navy, the area commander of police and all the DPOs in the area and some royal fathers and our vigilante group.

“Most of the inhabitants of this kingdom have my number and if anything happens, they normally call me at any time of the day because they know I will pick up their calls.

“Several times, at odd hours of the night, calls have woken me up concerning security and we go into action. I will call the DPOs and navy. Once they see my call, they pick it. I think it’s because we are security conscious and the citizens also have confidence in me. They can confide in me whatever the situation is; if they can’t discuss it with the police they will discuss it with me. They know that they are safe,” he said.

Olota of Ota then called on other royal fathers lead by example so that their people could have confidence in them.

He said that they should be free to discuss security concerns with them and that they should have that confidence that whatever they discuss with them will not leak.

He stressed that they should not reveal the identity of the source of sensitive issues, saying that in Ota, even when a cult group wants to strike, he would know, and that when hoodlums snatched a rifle from some soldiers recently, he got it back within 12 hours because his people love him and have confidence in him.

The monarch said that there is nothing bad in state police, adding that it will even enhance the nation’s security system.

“There is a law that will govern both state and federal police, so I don’t see reason for any clash. It’s only people that have skeletons in their cupboards that will not support state police because they will be the closest to the grassroots and as a result, they know all the tricks of the citizens in the grassroots and they will be in a better position to fight crime. It’s a global trend.

“If you go to Ojuore area, you will see that all the pick-pockets have relocated. I had to call the army to clean up the place, Sango under the bridge and tollgate. They cleared them and handed them to the police and they were prosecuted. It was very easy. I knew the police may not be able to handle it because of their familiarity with the criminals, which was why I had to call on the army to sort that out. Issues that need to be handled by the police I’ll give it to them and the one that needs to be handled by the army or navy, I will give it to them and everything has been going on well,” he said.

The Oba then urged the Federal Government to make use of reliable traditional rulers with integrity.

He said that nowadays some traditional rulers are installed by politicians, and that they are also agents of crime.

He said: “The traditional rulers know everyone. They are the closest to the people and the closest to the criminals as well. If they ask me to identify criminals in my community, I will point them out. A lot of people have been to my palace to report them and sometimes, I call them and I’ve spoken to them and I know the ones that the police are shielding.

“I have reported the police to their bosses that they should be transferred because I don’t want them in my domain. I’ve rejected some officers in my domain. I told the commissioner that if anything happens, he will be held responsible. He had no option but to move the DPO. I’m not a criminal and I will not shield any criminal. If there are security concerns, the problem is that when it happens they will carry placards and come because they have reported to me several times.”

Rivers monarch urges FG to address plight of oil bearing communities to boost security

King Philip Osaro Obele, the Oneh-Eeh Eleme, revealed that Ejame Ebubu, which is in Eleme, has suffered from environmental pollution, saying that it is being cleaned up currently, and that Eleme Kingdom and other oil producing communities are suffering so much from pollution and other adverse effects of oil exploration.

He said that Eleme community has been peaceful with stakeholders working to improve security and check the activities of pipeline vandals who threaten pipeline infrastructures.

He, however, called for more communication by the authorities to keep the people informed.

“Be alive to communicate. It has a lot to do. If you keep people in the dark, you make them speculate. It is good to always be in touch to feel the pulse of the people. There is also the need to get feedback from the people.

“I’m pleading with the NSA to consider Eleme. The oil pollution we have at Ejama-Ebubu, no clean up can clear it up. The water pollution in Ogale is the worst in the world. No roads, I’m happy with PINL for calling us here to tell them our minds, take this to Abuja because they don’t know what we are suffering by answering to the oil producing community,” he said.

Kakanda Kingdom in Turmoil: Monarch seeks govt help

The Agankyu of Kakanda Kingdom, Kogi state, HRH Mallam Muhammad Sanni, while speaking with the Saturday Telegraph, commended the state government for its quick response in taming insecurity challenges in other parts of the state, and pleaded that some communities within his domain are currently being invaded by gunmen suspected to be Fulani militias.

He said that his kingdom had applied several strategies to ensure harmony between the natives and settlers in his domain, but that the people in some communities like Buge and environs are currently living in tension.

He further advised both the state and federal governments to boost community policing and ensure more synergy between the community people and security authorities.

He said regular meetings are being held between the community and their visitors; hence the current situation is unarguably orchestrated by intruders.

There should be synergy between the govt and people -Bayelsa traditional ruler

King Moses Theophilus, Kenibara Vii, the Amadabo of Moko-Ama stated that insecurity is two way, and that some traditional rulers are involved.

“They may be correct that some traditional rulers are involved because in every society there is a Judas Iscariot. There could be those, who want to maximize profit from crises. There are people who make profit when there are crises. So it won’t be out of place if some traditional rulers may have compromised, but it is very important that traditional rulers shouldn’t compromise because peace starts from their families and community to the wider world.

“There should be a serious synergy between the state government and the people because today crime is being committed and some of those involved are wealthy. The society is being dictated by people who have money and if a traditional ruler doesn’t have money and one small boy in the community has money, then that traditional ruler will be oppressed. By oppressing the traditional ruler, the traditional ruler may not have anything to say.

“In the system of Nigeria today, if you are accused by police or by any security agent, they want to also maximize bail too because they said bail is free whereas bail is not free.

“If you arrest a traditional ruler and ask him to pay N200,000 for bail, where will he get the money from? He wouldn’t want to be arrested by any security agent knowing that he cannot afford bail money.

“So, if you see youths committing crimes, you will keep quiet because you do not have money and if you report them, and they are arrested by security agents, before you know it, they would be released. There is no proper judicial system to prosecute them and when they are arrested, in most cases, they will disclose the person that reported them, and then they will come back and wreck more havoc. So we must be very careful as traditional rulers since we do not have the tail to drive the flies that are perching on us.

“That is the reason we said that we need some empowerment from the government and synergy where people will be encouraged to have some kind of respite.

“There is a collaborative advocacy to ensure that we talk to the people and the youth about these vices because that is just the tool that is available to us. In our community town hall meeting, we talk and advise our people not to indulge in such activities. We do not even have the tool to prosecute them,” he said.

He said further that there should be synergy between the state government and the federal government, and that if there are issues that are being reported from the community, the government should be proactive enough, and that there should be a way of protecting the traditional institutions.

The government, he said, should create an enabling environment to protect the traditional rulers, remunerate and empower them financially, stand by the traditional institutions, as well as create enabling environments for them and ensure that anybody that is reported is adequately prosecuted.

“The government should safeguard our communities by allowing us to employ hunters and some other security people, and there should be police station in our communities.

“Of course the government doesn’t have any business with traditional institutions because I know that there are cases where the government installs kings for some communities. It is not the business of the government to install kings, but there is a community process of installing kings. In times past, we saw the government imposing their preferred candidates on the communities and this happens when some youths and some people in the communities connive with the government.

“There should be a synergy among the traditional ruler, the king, the local government chairman, and the councillors. It is all inclusive. All hands must be on deck to ensure that security cases are addressed in our communities,” he said.

© New Telegraph