How Ondo communities are fighting against kidnapping, banditry surge

Faced with repeated kidnappings and killings, residents of some communities rift with insecurity across Ondo State say their lives have been brought to a halt.

‘Insecurity is very bad, in fact, we could not go to the farm, we could not do our daily jobs, fear everywhere, anything from 6 to 7 pm, we cannot go out. You can’t go anywhere, you will be indoors.’

Sitting beneath a tree in the small town of Ilu Dada in Akure North Local Government Area is a farmer, Mrs. Oluwabunmi Oluwadare, as she narrates her ordeal as a farmer who cannot do anything due to insecurity.

According to her, farming activities and normal life were at a standstill in the community due to insecurity, which led to the death of some farmers and community members.

Image of Mrs Oluwabunmi Oluwadare Credit- Funmilola Afolabi

Residents of Ilu Dada community, an agrarian community in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, in March 2025, took to the streets to protest the alleged killing of 20 people in 2 weeks in 5 communities- Aba Oyinbo, Ademekun, Aba Pastor, Aba Sunday and Alajido; all in the same local government area, according to local authorities.

Image of aggrieved residents of Ilu Dada community protesting Credit- Funmilola Afolabi

The incident was coming on the heels of a renewed onslaught of banditry and kidnapping across the country in 2025.

In 2025, insecurity in Nigeria became characterised by issues like banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts, and insurgencies from groups like Boko Haram alongside the emergence of new threats like the Lakurawa terrorist group– mostly known for its modus operandi of initially providing community protection before imposing control – and the Mahmuda terror group, which surfaced in North Central Nigeria, spanning parts of Kwara and Niger states.

These developments signalled a disturbing geographic and organisational expansion of extremist threats in 2025, beyond the Northwestern insurgency. A cursory look at the chronicle of kidnapping and killing incidents in the state from March to date shows that Ondo State is seriously under attack by gunmen.

On February 4, 2025, no fewer than seven travellers coming from Akwa Ibom and heading towards Akure, the state capital, were abducted by kidnappers on the Benin-Owo highway at the Ipele area of Owo Local Government Area.

On February 17, 2025, Afenifere Youth Council President, Prince Eniola Ojajuni, was kidnapped in Akunu, Ondo State, on his way to Abuja. Ojajuni said he spent 12 days in the kidnappers’ den before regaining his freedom.

In March, nine surveyors were kidnapped in Ilu-Abo in Akure North Local Government Area. This led to a protest by women in the community. They were, however, released upon payment of a N20 million ransom.

In July, 2 students of Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba- Akoko (AAUA), Andreal Eloho Okah and John Friday Abba were abducted, robbed, raped, and ultimately murdered in cold blood. Still in July, seven farmers were kidnapped in Itaogbolu, Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

In August, a staff member of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Mr. Omoniyi Eleyinmi was abducted by gunmen at his residence in Supare-Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

These incidents have spurred calls for a multi-layered response, from strengthening local governance and security presence to tackling the socio-economic drivers of insecurity.

Some communities in Ondo state are, however, working hand in glove with the state security agency codenamed Amotekun Corps to handle cases of insecurity.

The State Community Security Apparatus- Amotekun Corps

The Western Nigeria Security Network, widely known as Amotekun corps, was created in response to rising insecurity across the South-West of Nigeria, including kidnappings, banditry, herder-farmer clashes, and general lawlessness.

In Ondo State, the bill to establish the security network was passed by the State House of Assembly and then signed into law by the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in 2020. The official inauguration of Operation Amotekun in Ondo was carried out in August 2020, with its pioneer officers, vehicles, motorcycles, and communications gear being flagged off.

While speaking on the success of the corps in 2025, the Ondo state commander of Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, revealed that they arraigned 175 suspects out of the 750 that were profiled in the first quarter of 2025.

“Besides the 175 suspects arraigned, others are still undergoing different stages of investigation,” the commander stated.

How then are communities working hand in glove with the state security outfit?

Ilu Dada community, for instance, moved to erect a security post for Amotekun officers in the community, on the behest of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, following their protest.

A community leader, Prince Obaade Francis Jaiyeoba, stated that they have erected a security post for the security officers to work from. He added that further provisions have been made for their shelters and better working conditions.

Prince Jaiyeoba said the deployment of Amotekun operatives restored confidence among residents. “Since the security post was erected, our farmers have returned to their farms without fear, and nothing evil has happened,” he said.

He added that residents now move freely within the community, with security personnel guarding the roads and surrounding bushes. “We have had no complaints since then. Everything is calm, and the atmosphere is peaceful,” Francis stressed.

As for the logistics, the security agents, according to him, are paid by the landlord’s association through monthly contributions by those living in the community.

The community, however, called for more permanent structures, including additional police and Amotekun posts, to consolidate the gains and ensure lasting security.

But are other communities toeing the same path?

Community Security Set-ups

Communities across the state are establishing independent security structures to help combat insecurity in their areas. One such community is Irowo Community in Akure North Local Government Area of the state, where the leadership of Irowo community has taken steps to strengthen security following reported cases of burglary in the area.

The chairman of the Landlord Association in the community, Mr. Bode Ajayi, said the decision to establish a local security outfit was prompted by incidents in which houses were broken into during the night, leaving residents worried about their safety.

Mr. Ajayi explained that the community currently engages four security personnel who operate every night. “They normally resume around 8 p.m. and close around 5 or 6 a.m.,” he said. He added that gates were erected at strategic points to support the work of the guards and make monitoring easier.

Ajayi confirmed that cases of insecurity in Irowo have significantly reduced, following the introduction of the security arrangement. He disclosed that on several occasions, the community security operatives had successfully apprehended suspects attempting to burgle houses. “We’ve caught about three or four thieves, and they were handed over to the Obele Police Station,” he noted.

The chairman stressed that the positive outcome of the initiative has restored confidence among residents, many of whom had expressed fears over the rising security breaches before the arrangement began.

Image of Irowo Community Credit- Oluwatobi Oladipupo

Another Initiative

The Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State has launched a security network to strengthen efforts in safeguarding lives and property. The initiative, according to the council chairman, Mr. Tope Omolayo, is aimed at complementing the work of the police in addressing security challenges in the area.

He said the operatives, drawn from different communities in the LGA, would combine visible patrol duties with intelligence gathering to support the Command’s crime prevention efforts, particularly during the ember months.

Omolayo emphasized that the officers had been charged to give their full commitment to the task ahead. “We have told them clearly that the safety of residents depends on their dedication and courage,” he stressed, noting that their effectiveness would determine the success of the initiative.

The chairman urged residents to cooperate with the operatives by sharing useful information and supporting their activities. “Security is everyone’s business,” he said. “With the combined efforts of the police, the security network, and the people, we can make Owo a safer place for all.”

Image of some officers of Owo Security Network

Police welcome community security outfits in Ondo- PPRO

The Ondo State Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Olushola Ayanlade, said the command welcomes the initiative of local stakeholders and community leaders setting up vigilante groups across the state.

Addressing concerns about possible rivalry or distrust, the PPRO dismissed fears that the new outfits could erode confidence in the police, maintaining that the collaboration would instead foster stronger trust between the force and residents.

“We are happy that the community leaders and stakeholders in the security sector are taking up the initiatives and are becoming security-conscious. They are supporting us in ensuring that we have robust security in Ondo State.”

On ensuring discipline, SP Ayanlade revealed that a mechanism has been put in place to monitor the activities of the vigilante groups. He said a liaison officer would serve as a link between the police and the outfits, submitting daily reports of their operations.

“We have a robust network and a mechanism to ensure that rules, laws, and orders are obeyed, that these people work within the ambit of the law. And again, the law is no respecter of anyone. Whoever goes contrary to the rule of law will be dealt with accordingly. An untrained person is not only a danger to himself, he is also a danger to the public. So we are going to ensure that they are properly trained and made aware of what and where they can go and do,” he added.

The police spokesperson said the police remain the lead security agency in the state, but will continue to welcome and supervise the contributions of local vigilante groups in order to make Ondo State safe for law-abiding residents.

Community security outfits risk shutdown if they flout rules- Ondo NSCDC

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) cautioned that community security vanguards in Ondo State will be disbanded if found operating outside their mandate or infringing on citizens’ rights.

The state spokesperson of the Corps, DSC Daniel Aidamengbor, stressed that while the agency supports community involvement in security, such groups must function strictly within the law.

While the NSCDC has long advocated for community vanguards as intelligence-gathering structures that complement formal security agencies, Aidamengbor explained that their role is primarily to observe, report, and provide timely information rather than carry arms or take enforcement into their own hands.

“They are not expected to bear firearms or dangerous weapons; their duty is to serve as the eyes and ears of security agencies by promptly reporting suspicious persons or activities in their communities,” he added.

He noted that some outfits, such as the one established in Owo, were set up under the supervision of the Nigerian Police, which also provided training and guidance to ensure adherence to rules of engagement.

However, he posited that any vanguard group that goes beyond its mandate, abuses human rights, or violates the law would be shut down without hesitation.

“If they are running afoul of the law, those community vanguards will be disbanded,” he warned.

As Ondo communities continue to improvise local security responses, residents are demanding more permanent solutions from the state. They called for the Amotekun posts to be upgraded to full security stations, with better equipment, training, and closer collaboration with the police.

While the state government has promised to expand Amotekun deployments, questions, however, remain over funding, sustainability, and whether the corps will have the legal backing and resources to remain a lasting fixture in rural communities.

For now, the community members say their return to farms and markets is fragile, dependent on whether the current calm can outlast the next wave of attacks.