Fayose: No President Can End Kidnapping Alone, Insecurity Now Embedded in Society

Fayose: No President Can End Kidnapping Alone, Insecurity Now Embedded in Society

Former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has said no Nigerian president can single-handedly solve the country’s security problem, stressing that kidnapping has evolved into a complex social and criminal enterprise sustained by actors beyond those directly carrying out the crimes.

Speaking during a television interview on Monday , Fayose said the problem, which began years ago as isolated incidents, had grown into a nationwide menace affecting communities across the country.

He expressed sympathy for victims of kidnapping and their families, describing the situation as unfortunate and deeply troubling.

According to him, insecurity has become so entrenched that addressing it requires the collective efforts of governments at all levels, security agencies, communities, and citizens.

“This problem started quietly many years ago and has now taken over the fabric of our society. It has become a big business and, regrettably, a way of life for some people,” he said.

Fayose stated that successive administrations had struggled to contain the threat, adding that the challenge has become complicated by social, ethnic, and political considerations.

The former governor maintained that the country’s security crisis could not be resolved by the president or the federal security architecture alone because criminal networks often relied on support structures within society.

According to him, those involved in kidnapping are not limited to armed groups operating in forests and remote locations, but may also include financiers, collaborators, and informants, who benefit from the illicit enterprise.

He said, “The society the president is trying to protect is also part of the problem. You cannot win a battle when some elements within the society are aiding criminality.”

Drawing from his experience as governor, Fayose recalled measures taken by his administration to combat insecurity and violent crimes, including the enactment of laws banning open grazing and the prosecution of criminal suspects.

He said strict enforcement of laws and the willingness to punish offenders, regardless of ethnic or religious identity, were necessary ingredients in the fight against crime.

Fayose defended President Bola Tinubu’s handling of national affairs, maintaining that the president inherited significant economic and security challenges.

While acknowledging that Nigerians continued to face hardship, he said Tinubu had demonstrated determination in pursuing reforms aimed at stabilising the economy.

The former governor insisted that state governments and local authorities must share responsibility for protecting citizens.

He criticised what he described as a tendency by some state governments to place the entire burden of security on the federal government, despite the existence of state security structures and local intelligence networks.

In one of the most controversial moments of the interview, Fayose suggested that some security incidents could be exploited for political purposes.

Referring to the recent abduction incident in Oyo State, he speculated that such events might sometimes be used to embarrass the federal government.

However, the programme anchor immediately challenged the assertion, describing it as a serious allegation for which no evidence had been presented.

Fayose subsequently acknowledged that he was expressing a personal belief and not making a definitive claim.

The former governor, nevertheless, maintained that politics had often intersected with security issues in Nigeria and urged the authorities to thoroughly investigate all incidents to establish the facts.

Fayose urged Nigerians to support efforts aimed at tackling insecurity, stressing that sustainable solutions would require cooperation among the federal government, states, local governments, and communities.

He warned that unless society collectively rejected criminality and supported law enforcement efforts, insecurity would remain a major challenge regardless of who occupied the presidency.

Oyo Schools: Protest in Ibadan over Attacks

Tension escalated in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday , as members of the Take-It-Back Movement staged a protest in the city over the worsening security situation in the state and the continued captivity of abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The protest came barely 24 hours after the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State, directed public primary and secondary school teachers across the state to embark on an indefinite strike over the abduction of their colleagues and pupils.

The demonstrators converged on Mokola Roundabout, one of the busiest junctions in Ibadan, carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, demanding urgent action from government and security agencies to secure the release of the victims and curb rising cases of kidnapping in the state.

Some of the placards displayed during the protest bore inscriptions, such as, “Security for all, not for a few,” “Government must end kidnapping in Oyo State,” “We demand safer roads and communities,” “Protect farmers, traders and students,” and “Peace, security and justice.”

One of the protesters, who gave his name as Moshood, said residents were becoming increasingly frustrated by the persistent insecurity across the country.

He declared, “Let them know that the people of Nigeria are not at peace. Let them know that the people of Oyo State are not smiling. Let them know that the Nigerian people are fed up with insecurity.”

The protest followed growing public outrage over the abduction of pupils, students and teachers during attacks on schools and surrounding communities in Ahoro-Esiele area of Oriire Local Government Area.

The victims were reportedly kidnapped after armed men invaded the schools and nearby communities, triggering widespread fear among residents, parents and education stakeholders.

Family members of the abductees had repeatedly appealed to the Oyo State government, the federal government, and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and ensure the safe return of their loved ones.

Meanwhile, NUT, in a statement by its Oyo State Chairman, Hassan A. Fatai, and Secretary, Comrade Salami Olukayode, directed all public primary and secondary school teachers in the state to withdraw their services beginning on Monday , June 1, 2026, until further notice.

The union said the directive became necessary due to the continued captivity of the abducted teachers and pupils as well as growing fears over the safety of teachers and learners across the state.