Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State says governors in Nigeria’s South-West region are working together to strengthen security in response to rising criminal activity across parts of the country.
Aiyedatiwa made the remarks on Tuesday while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, shortly after a court in Abuja convicted four persons over the 2022 attack on St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
According to the governor, South-West leaders have been holding strategic meetings aimed at improving coordination and enhancing regional security architecture.
“What I am saying in essence is that we are talking to ourselves; we are working,” he said when asked about the preparedness of governors to address insecurity in the region.
He disclosed that a recent meeting held in Ibadan, Oyo State, focused on developing joint strategies to secure the South-West geopolitical zone, particularly through the Amotekun security network.
“We tried to map out what we need to do together to secure the South-West geopolitical zone, especially with our security network, Amotekun,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa noted that Amotekun operates across several South-West states, including Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Ogun, while Lagos State maintains its own security arrangement.
He also linked the need for increased cooperation to recent security incidents in the region, including abductions of students and teachers in Oyo State and kidnappings in Ekiti State.
“These developments have raised concerns over the safety of residents and properties in the region,” he said.
The governor added that Ondo State, due to its geographical position, plays a strategic role as a gateway to the South-West and shares boundaries with several other states.
He said security operations are ongoing in forest reserves and other vulnerable areas, although many of these efforts are not publicly disclosed.
“A lot of engagements are going on in our forest reserves that do not come to the public in the news,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa emphasized that security efforts often go unnoticed unless there is a failure, stressing that government agencies are actively working to address threats.
“Security is one responsibility that leaders carry that is not so visible to everybody,” he said.
His comments came on the same day that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sentenced four individuals to death by hanging for their involvement in the 2022 Owo church attack, which left more than 40 people dead and several others injured.
The convicts were among five defendants charged with terrorism offences by the Department of State Services (DSS) over the deadly assault.
Reacting to the judgment, Aiyedatiwa said the ruling was welcomed by the people of Ondo State and victims of the attack.
“For us in Ondo State, we are happy that this judgment is a victory for the rule of law and for all the victims,” he said.
He added that the verdict represents justice not only for Owo residents but also for victims of similar terrorist attacks across the country.
