The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has declared that the Yoruba people will not allow terrorists and bandits to infiltrate or settle in the South-West, insisting that the region is ready to defend itself using ancestral tactics, community vigilance, hunters’ associations, and traditional protective systems inherited from generations past. Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, the Ooni said intelligence reports indicate that bandit groups and criminal networks, pressured by military operations in the North, are attempting to spread towards the South-West. He warned that such plans would be met with resistance “the Yoruba way,” combining modern support from the governors with ancient defence systems and spiritual protections that have safeguarded Yoruba lands for centuries.
Across Nigeria, bandit gangs and terrorist networks have left a long trail of destruction. Communities in the North-West and North-Central have suffered repeated assaults that include mass kidnappings, village burnings, murder of farmers, destruction of farmlands, and the forced displacement of thousands. Children have been abducted in large numbers, schools attacked in broad daylight, families torn apart, and entire settlements emptied due to fear. Rural economies have collapsed in many places, with farmers unable to access their fields and transporters avoiding major roads for fear of ambushes. These patterns of violence have heightened national anxiety, and the gradual movement of armed criminals southwards has raised concerns that states traditionally insulated from such attacks may soon face similar threats.
The Ooni of Ife stated that the South-West has no intention of waiting for calamity before acting. According to him, Yoruba monarchs recently held meetings with all South-West governors to discuss concrete measures for community-based defence. He emphasized that traditional rulers possess unparalleled knowledge of the forests and territories under their care — knowledge passed down from the days when hunters, warriors, and gods’ devotees protected each town and village. He explained that Yoruba hunters’ associations, forest guards, and community vigilantes are already on high alert and ready to work hand-in-hand with government security agencies. He added that these hunters, who have trained all their lives in the bush, know the paths, caves, ridges, secret tracks and boundaries of every forest — a form of intelligence that modern security operatives often lack.
The Ooni also made it clear that Yoruba traditional protection includes more than physical force. He acknowledged openly that the region will revive certain ancient practices — including traditional charms, sacred protections, rituals for safeguarding communities, and spiritual fortifications used historically during periods of conflict or invasion. He said that Yoruba land has never been conquered and that relying on both ancestral wisdom and modern collaboration will ensure that outsiders with hostile intent cannot take root in the region.
Other Yoruba monarchs have echoed this position, insisting that the forests, farmlands, and borders of Yoruba states must remain under the guardianship of traditional authorities and local vigilance units. Many communities across Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, and Lagos have begun strengthening their hunters’ networks and enhancing local surveillance. Senior traditional rulers, cultural institutions, and socio-political groups such as Afenifere have warned that every village and district must remain alert to unfamiliar faces, unusual forest activities, or suspicious movement of cattle routes that could indicate the early stages of infiltration.
The Ooni stressed that the Yoruba people are peace-loving, accommodating, and historically open to visitors, but he noted that peace must be defended when under threat. He cautioned that the South-West will not allow what happened in many northern communities to repeat itself in Yoruba land. The monarch described the Yoruba response as a combination of readiness, unity, traditional fortification, and deep familiarity with the terrain. He added that the collaboration between traditional rulers and governors marks a new era of security consciousness, where indigenous knowledge and modern governance unite to protect lives and property.
He concluded by affirming that no terrorist group, criminal syndicate, or bandit network will be allowed to destabilize Yoruba land. “We know our forests the way our ancestors knew them,” he said, “and we will defend them with the same courage our forefathers displayed. With our hunters, our traditions, our people, and our governors working together, we are more than ready. They will not find a home here.”
