Some Yoruba leaders and professionals under the umbrella of the Omo Oduduwa Collective have called for an emergency security summit to address the worsening insecurity across the South-West, warning that political silence and inaction could deepen the crisis.

The South-West stakeholders urged governors, traditional rulers, lawmakers, security agencies, youth groups and others to forge a united response to what it described as an existential threat to Yorubaland.

The call was contained in an open letter titled “Yorubaland Must Not Be Silent: Insecurity, Civic Responsibility, and the Imperative of Collective Action.”

The letter was signed by the group’s Convener, Prof. Akinyemi Onigbinde, former presidential adviser Babafemi Ojudu, human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi, ASUU leader Dr Adeolu Oyekan, Dr Olasunkanmi Olapeju, Kazeem Olasupo, Samuel Arinloye and Barrister Kayode Okenla.

The collective said kidnappings, violent attacks, criminal occupation of forests and assaults on travellers had become increasingly common across the region, forcing farmers off their land, disrupting businesses and education, and leaving many communities living in fear.

It said the growing abduction of schoolchildren, students and other innocent citizens posed a direct threat to the region’s future and social stability.

Referring to the recent kidnapping incident in Oyo State, the group said although the victims were eventually freed, the episode underscored growing public anxiety over safety and the ability of security institutions to protect lives.

It warned that if left unchecked, the worsening insecurity could erode public confidence in government and democratic institutions.

The group also lamented what it described as the absence of a coordinated response from influential Yoruba institutions despite the deteriorating security situation.

It noted that Yorubaland had historically relied on the collective efforts of traditional rulers, labour unions, professional associations, student bodies, market groups and civil society organisations to confront major challenges, but said such collaboration had been largely missing in the current security crisis.

“Against this historical backdrop, the relative quietness that has accompanied the present security crisis is difficult to ignore. While individual voices have spoken out and isolated interventions have occurred, the region has yet to witness the level of coordinated civic engagement that the scale of the challenge arguably requires,” the letter said.

The collective attributed the silence largely to political considerations.

“We believe that the unhealthy silence in the face of existential danger is motivated in large part by politics. Many stakeholders, either for personal or primordial reasons, consider it prudent to remain indifferent because of political calculations. We consider this approach short-termist and ultimately self-defeating,” it stated.

It stressed that demanding accountability from elected leaders should not be viewed as hostility, saying holding governments accountable while supporting them to overcome security challenges was a civic responsibility.

The group warned against accepting insecurity as the new normal, noting that societies often decline gradually when unacceptable conditions become tolerated.

As part of its recommendations, the collective proposed the immediate convening of a Yoruba Security and Civic Renewal Summit involving governors, traditional rulers, lawmakers, security experts, academics, labour leaders, business executives, youth and women’s organisations, and civil society groups.

According to the group, the summit should develop practical strategies for regional security cooperation, strengthen intelligence sharing, improve collaboration with security agencies and promote sustained civic engagement on public safety.

It also called for the establishment of a standing regional security consultative mechanism and urged universities and research institutions to provide evidence-based policy recommendations to strengthen security governance.

The collective said governors and lawmakers must ensure that resolutions from the proposed summit are translated into laws and effectively implemented.

It expressed confidence that Yorubaland possesses the human resources, institutions and cultural values needed to tackle insecurity but said success would depend on courageous leadership, regional cooperation and collective action.

“The security of communities, the wellbeing of families, the future of young people and the continued prosperity of the region transcend partisan politics. They demand a level of seriousness and collaboration equal to their importance,” the group said.