When the terrorists started operating in the northern part of the country, attacking communities and schools and abducting not only the residents but also  pupils and students, many people never believed they would find their way to the South West part of the country. But when they took over Kwara, about a year ago, some raised the alarm that the South West was the next target.

This came to pass last week Friday. They attacked Community High School Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo state, abducting 39 pupils and students including a two-year-old toddler and seven teachers. One teacher was killed in the process while another one was beheaded in captivity. All the victims are still being held by the terrorists one week after. Following the terrorists’ attack, there have been palpable fears in the south west region as many communities have been deserted. The residents have fled their homes and are taking refuge elsewhere.

But the frightening reality which is giving security experts sleepless nights is that these terrorists have already blended into everyday life in the south west. These individuals are described as sleeper cells. According to security experts, these terrorist cells do not arrive carrying flags or announcing their intentions. Instead, they move quietly into communities, rent apartments, establish businesses and build relationships.

Security experts warn that Nigeria’s greatest security threat may no longer be only terrorists occupying forests and ungoverned spaces, but hidden networks operating unnoticed within towns and cities, patiently waiting for the right moment to strike. They said the most dangerous enemy is often the one no one suspects, not always the insurgent wielding an AK-47 in a conflict zone, but sometimes the familiar face that greets neighbours daily, attends community gatherings, and appears fully integrated into society.

They are individuals or networks embedded within civilian populations, operating quietly for months or years while gathering information, studying security patterns, recruiting sympathisers, building local contacts, and waiting for instructions before attacks eventually occur. They are terrorist cells. They are no longer only in the north, they have found places down south.

Their weapon is not merely explosives or guns; it is patience. Unlike conventional terrorists, sleeper cells rarely strike immediately. They study communities, observe security routines, and identify vulnerable targets. Some facilitate the movement of money or logistics. Others provide safe houses, recruit sympathisers, or monitor critical infrastructure. By the time violence erupts, security analysts say the groundwork may already have been completed.

This is why the stakeholders in the south west including the elders, leaders and activists are lamenting that the region is no longer safe. They are asking the state governments in the region to rise up to the challenge and make Yorubaland safe for the people.

Yorubaland no longer safe — Oladotun

In his reaction, the President, Yoruba Council Worldwide, Mr Hassan Oladotun said,”the recent invasion of some schools in Oyo by terrorists has shown that Yorubaland is no longer safe. It is better for governors across the region to jettison politics and take collective action towards safeguarding the region from total invasion by bandits and terrorists. It is obvious that the Amotekun outfit is either losing focus or it has been abandoned for bandits to have the audacity to move their activities into Yorubaland, especially Ogbomoso and parts of Oyo State. It is a signal that the region is no longer safe.

“The menace started from Ekiti State areas which share boundaries with Kwara State and we thought the establishment of the outfit would put a stop to the movement of the bandits towards the southwest.

Initially, it was effective especially in Ondo and Osun states but gradually the security outfit lost focus or it was no longer funded and across the states its effect is dwindling very fast, as it is being used to tackle petty crimes while bandits are getting emboldened to attack the region. At this point, the governors need to return to the drawing table with a view to making the region safe for the people. I am of the view that other security outfits, like Oodua People’s Congress, Iru Ekun, and local hunters should be integrated into Amotekun to check the incursion of the terrorists”.