The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has raised serious concerns over alleged threats by suspected terrorists to attack indigenous Yoruba communities in Kwara State, describing the development as a grave assault on citizens’ fundamental rights and the authority of the Nigerian state.
In a statement signed by his personal assistant, Revd. Dele Kolade, the monarch expressed “profound concern” over a threatening letter reportedly dropped at the Ira market, targeting the communities of Ira, Inaja and Aho in the Oyun Local Government Area of the state.
According to the statement, the authors of the letter allegedly vowed to strike “anytime soon,” claiming a questionable identity and attempting to instil fear among residents through intimidation.
Oba Owoade condemned the development as unacceptable, stressing that no Nigerian community should be compelled to live under the shadow of terror or contemplate displacement from ancestral lands due to threats from faceless criminals.
“Ira holds deep cultural significance within the wider Yoruba heritage as the ancestral hometown of the legendary Oya, wife of Sango,” the statement read. “No community with such history and dignity, and indeed no Nigerian community anywhere, should be forced to live under terror.”
The monarch described the situation as a direct affront to the sovereignty of the state and an attack on the basic rights of citizens to live, farm, trade, worship and raise their families without fear or coercion.
He cautioned against normalising insecurity, warning that it would be unacceptable for villages to empty at the sound of rumours, markets to close under threats, and communities to operate in a climate where fear becomes routine.
While acknowledging ongoing efforts by both the Kwara State and the Federal governments to tackle insecurity, the Alaafin urged sustained and coordinated action to reinforce public confidence.
He commended current deployments, patrols and operational engagements aimed at protecting communities, particularly those located along forest corridors and other vulnerable terrains.
However, he insisted that a visible and consistent security presence, backed by rapid response mechanisms, remains crucial.
“The present situation calls for sustained and well-coordinated security presence, backed by rapid response mechanisms, to reassure residents that protection is not occasional but consistent, not symbolic but effective,” the statement added.
Security concerns have persisted in parts of North Central Nigeria in recent years, with rural communities often vulnerable due to proximity to forested areas and limited security infrastructure.
