National Park attack: Group calls for community self-defence training across South-West

The Majeobaje group has called on the South-West governors to urgently train communities in self-defence and fully implement the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun, following the killing of five forest guards by suspected bandits in Oyo National Park.

In a statement, the group described the attack, which occurred on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, as a “grave warning” that more robust and coordinated measures are needed to secure the South-West and protect lives and property. The incident was earlier reported in the media and confirmed by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, via his official Facebook page.

The group noted that the assault did not come as a surprise, given the spate of terrorist activities recorded in neighbouring Niger and Kwara states in recent months. According to the statement, Niger State witnessed several attacks between December 2025 and January 2026, including the abduction of about 300 schoolchildren from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, and deadly assaults in Agwara and Borgu Local Government Areas, where no fewer than 42 people were reportedly killed and many others abducted.

Moving southwards, Majeobaje said Kwara State also experienced a surge in violent incidents, citing the reported abduction of the Oniwo of Aafin and his son, as well as the kidnapping of travellers along the Isanlu–Omu-Aran highway. These incidents, the group added, followed earlier attacks in Eruku, where three worshippers were killed and 35 others abducted, alongside other deadly episodes in Ifelodun Local Government Area.

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The statement acknowledged recent steps taken by the government to tackle insecurity, including the relocation of the Nigerian Army’s 2nd Division headquarters to Ilorin in September 2025 under Major-General Chinedu Nnebeife, which it said appears to be putting pressure on terrorist elements. It also commended Governor Makinde for committing more resources to security, including the recent recruitment of 500 additional personnel, believed to be strengthening the state’s forest guards.

However, Majeobaje stressed that these efforts remain inadequate. The group urged South-West governors to fully implement Amotekun as originally designed by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, rather than the “disjointed and selective approach” currently in place.

It called for systematic recruitment of local hunters with deep knowledge of the forests, improved intelligence-gathering capacity through the deployment of drones and ground sensors, and the establishment of a central command-and-control centre to serve all six South-West states.

Most importantly, the group emphasised the need to prepare citizens for community-based defence. According to the statement, residents should be trained on how to identify and report suspicious strangers, understand emergency response procedures, and know what actions to take in the event of attacks on their neighbourhoods.

Majeobaje said such training should be carried out through joint efforts by security agencies, neighbourhood associations in urban areas and Community Development Associations (CDAs) in rural communities, to develop and implement effective self-defence protocols tailored to local realities.