Leaders and concerned citizens across Owo Local Government Area in Ondo State have convened a high-level security summit to tackle the growing threat of kidnapping, killings, and violent crimes in the area.
The event, held at Achievers University, Owo, brought together top government officials, traditional rulers, security agencies, and community representatives to develop a coordinated, community-driven response.
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Convened by the Chairman of Owo Local Government, Tope Omolayo, the summit aimed to assess the roots of insecurity in the region and recommend sustainable solutions.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his Deputy, Olayide Adelami, were represented at the summit by the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Security, Olubenga Atiba.
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Several royal fathers were in attendance, including the Olowo of Owo and Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas, Oba Ajibade Gbadegeshin Ogunoye III.
Also, senior officers from security agencies, including the Army, Police, Civil Defence, Amotekun Corps, and the State Security Service, were all present at the Security Summit.
Root causes
A communiqué issued at the end of the summit, and made available to PREMIUM TIMES by Olatunbosun Oladimeji, spokesperson of the summit’s Planning Committee, and co-signed by the committee’s chairman, Gbenga Olumolawa, provided a critical diagnosis of the insecurity challenges in Owo.
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According to the document, “high level of unemployment” and Owo’s “strategic location as a gateway to two geopolitical zones, namely Kabba, North Central, and Benin City, South-South, Nigeria” were identified as key contributors.
Other factors include the “absence of punitive measures against perpetrators of kidnapping and violent crimes,” “debilitating inter-organisational rivalry among security agencies,” and the “tragic failure of critical agents of socialisation, such as family, school, religion, and culture.” It further noted the “uncontrolled influx of unprofiled migrants,” “vast swathes of unpoliced forest,” and “general ignorance and lackadaisical attitude of citizens.”
Possible solutions
In response, the summit proposed several resolutions to address the situation. It called for “a security task force, well-funded and strategically deployed,” stronger synergy between security agencies, and collaboration with traditional rulers.
The communiqué urged the government to “creatively find a solution to the problem of unemployment,” and for traditional authorities to “avoid indiscriminate land sales to undocumented and unprofiled migrants.”
It also emphasised modern surveillance, recommending “the use of cutting-edge security technologies, such as drones, surveillance cameras, and other reconnaissance gadgets.”
Furthermore, it advocated “constructive collaboration with local security agencies, such as hunters and vigilantes, with a view to strengthening their operations.”
Perhaps the most notable recommendation was the need for a holistic cultural shift.
READ ALSO: Ondo govt proposes death penalty for kidnapping
“The society should look inwards and adopt the use of unorthodox, traditional, and practical means to fight insecurity,” the communiqué stressed. It concluded that “there should be continuous engagement on the problem of insecurity as well as the utilisation of a multi-faceted approach in addressing the nightmarish problem in the local government area.”
The timing of the summit aligns with the broader security agenda of the Ondo State Government, which recently proposed the death penalty for convicted kidnappers.
After a State Executive Council meeting in Akure, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olukayode Ajulo, disclosed that a bill would soon be transmitted to the House of Assembly.
“Kidnapping and cultism have become major threats to safety and public order,” he said.
“Strengthening relevant legal frameworks would help deter such crimes and improve the overall security landscape.”
While the legal route progresses at the state level, the Owo Security Summit stands out as a demonstration of proactive local governance, recognising that policy reforms alone are not enough without strong community involvement and cultural vigilance.
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