Gani Adams, Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, urges support from Donald Trump to address rising security threats and protect Yoruba communities from escalating violence.
A looming Yoruba security threat has prompted the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, to call for urgent action to protect communities across the South-West, North-Central, and South-South regions.
Speaking at a press briefing at Oodua House in Ikeja, Lagos, Adams emphasized that armed militants have begun surrounding key areas, awaiting instructions from international sponsors to launch coordinated attacks.
“We welcome any support from Trump if it will secure our land,” Adams said, stressing that foreign assistance could play a crucial role in containing the growing violence.
He explained that intelligence reports show militants gradually moving from forest hideouts toward major towns, heightening the risk to more than 60 million Yoruba residents.
Adams described these criminal groups as “merchants of death” whose goal is to destabilize local communities, seize ancestral lands, and execute large-scale attacks once they receive directives from overseas backers.
He said that the threat spans Kogi, Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, and parts of Edo and Delta states, warning that immediate preventive action is critical.
The Aare also questioned Nigeria’s capacity to handle this crisis alone. Highlighting a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to help eliminate terrorist cells targeting Christians and Muslims, Adams stated that critics misunderstand the intention.
“Trump has not suggested establishing a military base in Nigeria,” he said. “He simply wants to stop the killings. Why oppose that?”
To illustrate the potential benefits of foreign intervention, Adams cited a 2020 rescue operation in northern Nigeria where U.S. Marines killed six kidnappers and rescued an abducted American citizen.
“This is exactly the type of decisive action we need to address the Yoruba security threat,” he said.
The Aare further expressed concern over the British government’s recent travel advisory, which warned citizens against visiting nearly 20 Nigerian states.
“What can be more embarrassing than this?” he asked, describing the advisory as evidence of the government’s inability to safeguard citizens and foreign visitors.
Adams lamented that he had alerted Southwest governors more than a year ago about criminal networks occupying forests across the region.
Despite the warnings, little action was taken. As a solution, he reiterated the need for a Southwest Security Summit involving traditional rulers, religious leaders, security agencies, farmers, herders, and business owners. He said collaboration is essential to combat the Yoruba security threat effectively.
He warned that treating terrorists lightly would only embolden them.
“If these criminals are allowed to operate unchecked, they will launch devastating attacks on our towns and cities,” he said, emphasizing the need for intelligence-driven operations to dismantle kidnapping and abduction networks.
Recent incidents underscore the urgency of his warnings. Major General Segun Aremu (rtd), the Olukoro of Koro in Kwara State, was shot dead in his palace, and his wife was abducted.
Oba Israel Adeusi, the traditional ruler of Ifon in Ondo State, was also murdered. Adams explained that kidnapping has become highly profitable, encouraging criminals to expand their operations with minimal risk.
The August 2025 Babanla attack in Kwara State displaced 20 villages and left 36 people dead. In Kebbi State, 25 female students were abducted from a government secondary school while the vice principal, Hassan Makuku, was shot dead.
Adams highlighted that these attacks have spread to Middle Belt states like Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, and Taraba, displacing over 300 villages and turning the areas into “war theatres.”
He further accused terrorists of exploiting Nigeria’s porous forests to mine solid minerals, which they allegedly trade for weapons and logistical support.
According to Adams, every threat to economic activity or community safety is also a threat to national security.
Reiterating his call for external support, Adams stated, “We welcome any assistance from Donald Trump if it will secure our land. What matters is protecting our people and preventing further loss of lives.”
He concluded with a rallying cry for vigilance and unity among Yoruba communities: “This is the time for all Yoruba people to be alert. Through local intelligence gathering and cooperation with security forces, we can confront this Yoruba security threat before it escalates. Oodua a gbe wa o. Ile Yoruba ko ni baje o.”
Adams underscored that decisive, coordinated action—both locally and with international support—is essential to prevent the Yoruba security threat from destabilizing the region. “Our communities cannot wait for tragedies to happen. The time to act is now,” he said.
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