Security Measures and Community Vigilance in Response to ISWAP Threats
Following an alert from the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday regarding a plot by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) to attack Ondo and Kogi states, security agencies across several states have activated surveillance and counter-terror measures. This move comes as part of a broader effort to prevent any potential attacks.
Kogi state shares a boundary with ten other states, including Benue, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Niger, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Concerned about the development, state governors have called on residents to remain calm and vigilant, assuring them that the security system has been fortified to thwart any attacks.
The DSS had alerted the Nigerian Army to an alleged plot by ISWAP to launch coordinated attacks on communities in Ondo and Kogi states. In a confidential letter addressed to the Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, the secret police warned of “imminent attacks” by ISWAP terrorists and urged heightened surveillance and security deployment across vulnerable areas.
The letter, signed by H. I. Kana on behalf of the State Director of Security, was titled, “Imminent Attacks in Ondo State by Members of ISWAP.” According to the document, the targeted communities in Ondo State include Eriti-Akoko and Oyin-Akoko in Akoko North-West Local Government Area, as well as Owo town, the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area.
“Intelligence confirmed plans by members of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) to carry out coordinated attacks on communities in Ondo and Kogi States anytime soon,” the letter read in part. “It was further gathered that the group has commenced surveillance on potential soft targets in the above-mentioned locations. Consequently, there is a need to scale up the level of security alertness in the various communities to forestall any untoward situation,” it added.
The security agency called for immediate action by the army and other relevant forces to prevent the attacks, stressing the importance of community vigilance.
Government Actions and Public Response
Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the development, saying the police were already acting on the intelligence. “That’s partly why we were in Akoko on Sunday. Everyone is taking steps to ensure no event takes us unawares,” Ayanlade said.
The alert comes more than three years after terrorists suspected to be ISWAP members attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, on June 5, 2022, killing 41 worshippers and injuring dozens. The suspects were later arrested by the DSS and are currently facing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Speaking on the terror plot on Wednesday, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, urged the residents of the state to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement or strangers in their communities to the security agencies.
In a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, the government said it was aware of the security threat and had been taking necessary precautions to avert it.
Regional Coordination and Proactive Measures
Despite the official assurances, scared residents in the communities under threat have appealed to the state government and the security agencies not to take the threat lightly. A resident of Owo community and retired secondary school teacher, Mr Olalekan Yussuf, said since the alert had come to the notice of the security stakeholders and the government, they should be proactive in the protection of the lives and property of the people of the state.
Another resident and commercial bus driver in Oke Agbe, the headquarters of Akoko North-West Local Government Area, Mr Rufus Alabi, said although the community and other neighbouring communities were calm and peaceful, the government must do everything to avert any possible attack that could disrupt the peace.
Collaboration Across States
The Special Adviser to Osun State Governor on Security Matters, Mr Samuel Ojo, said the Adeleke administration had acted to prevent infiltration of the boundary communities long before the alarm by the DSS was made public. Ojo, who called on the residents to cooperate with the government and security agencies by making available timely information regarding suspicious movement in their area, said boundary communities with other states are being monitored closely.
On its part, the Kogi State Government called on residents of the state to remain calm and vigilant following reports of a planned terrorist attack in parts of the state and Ondo. In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, the government described the intelligence report as a step towards victory, noting that it demonstrates the proactive work of the DSS and other security agencies in protecting Nigerians from criminal elements.
Enhanced Surveillance and Community Cooperation
In response to the ISWAP plot, the Kwara State Police Command says it has intensified surveillance and strengthened collaboration with other security agencies. Speaking with The PUNCH on Wednesday in Ilorin, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the command is “fully on top of the situation” and working proactively to ensure the safety of lives and property across the state.
Ejire-Adeyemi explained that the ongoing military operation to rid the state of bandits and other criminal gangs was being supported by the police and local vigilantes, particularly in the border areas.
Border Security and Inter-Agency Collaboration
Ekiti State Government said on Wednesday that it had deployed security operatives to its borders with Ondo and Kogi States following the DSS intelligence report. The Special Adviser on Security to the Ekiti State Governor, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana, who said that the state security council met on Wednesday, said, “We have been able to put all our arsenal together, we have deployed our men along the borders.”
In a related development, the Ogun State government disclosed it has heightened surveillance along its borders with neighbouring states to forestall any spill-over of insecurity. The Special Adviser to Gov Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, stated, “A robust intelligence network has been deployed across all border communities, with continuous monitoring of potential threats in collaboration with local informants and community stakeholders.”
Addressing Emerging Threats
The Nasarawa State Government, in the same vein, said it has adopted a different approach to tackling the emerging security threats in the state. The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs stated this on Wednesday while reacting to reports of a possible attack in some neighbouring states.
Meanwhile, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has commended President Bola Tinubu and the DSS for their decisive efforts in dismantling a gunrunning syndicate and recovering a cache of arms and ammunition through coordinated covert operations in the state. The governor described the successful sting operation as a major boost to ongoing security reforms under his administration’s Kaduna Peace Model, stressing that there will be no hiding place for bandits, arms traffickers, or their collaborators.
