Yoruba socio-cultural group, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), has encouraged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to forge a Nigerian and international collaboration to eliminate the terrorism, kidnapping and killings inflicted on the country by non-state actors.
OPC spoke in the light of US President Donald Trump threatening to send in American forces to finish off Islamist terrorists and jihadists killing citizens in large segments of Nigeria.
In its statement signed by its
Secretary-General, Comrade Olubunmi Fasehun, the group said:
The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) wishes to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the peace, unity, and security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At this critical moment in our nation’s history, when terrorism, banditry and kidnapping continue to threaten our communities, we believe that proactive collaboration among stakeholders is more crucial than ever, be they local or foreign.
In the light of the offer by US President Donald Trump to send in the American contingent to help wipe out terrorism, which is fast making Nigeria a dangerous space, we urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to tap into the advantages of such a collaboration against evil non-state actors who have stretched the patriotic troops of our country’s Military to the limit.
Additionally, the Federal Government should task the US and other developed nations to freeze the assets of terrorism financiers in Nigeria and anywhere in the world.
Our position has always been clear: Security is a shared responsibility.
And OPC shall be willing to contribute our own quota to confront, defeat and expunge these terrorists from Yorubaland and indeed the entire country.
Over the past decades, OPC has demonstrated its deep presence at the grassroots level, especially across the Yoruba space in the South-West, Kogi, Kwara, Edo and Delta states. Our members live within the communities, markets, border towns, and rural corridors where vital intelligence can be gathered. We therefore recognize that our organization is uniquely positioned to support the efforts of security agencies in preventing, detecting and reporting threats before they escalate.
PARTNERSHIP WITH SECURITY AGENCIES
We are ready to partner more closely and formally with the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Armed Forces and other relevant agencies in the following areas:
1. COMMUNITY-BASED INTELLIGENCE GATHERING:
OPC members will serve as the eyes and ears within our communities, relaying verified information on suspicious activities, criminal infiltration and movement of armed groups.
2. RAPID COMMUNICATION CHANNELS:
We are establishing dedicated communication lines to ensure quick transmission of intel to the appropriate authorities without delays or bureaucratic bottlenecks.
3. JOINT COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION:
We will collaborate with security agencies to educate residents on the importance of reporting strange movements and criminal hideouts, particularly in border and forested areas.
4. PEACEFUL AND LAWFUL OPERATIONS:
OPC remains fully committed to working within the framework of the law, without engaging in any form of jungle justice or unauthorized enforcement activity.
NOT VIGILANTISM — BUT STRUCTURED COMMUNITY SECURITY SUPPORT
We reiterate that our role is not to replace the government or the security forces, but to complement them. When civilians contribute information and work hand-in-hand with lawful authorities, crime prevention becomes easier, faster, and more effective.
A CALL FOR POLITICAL WILL
We also urge the Federal Government to take bold steps in confronting powerful individuals and networks long perceived as “untouchable” — those who benefit from or enable terrorism, banditry and ethnoreligious killings. The security of citizens must come before politics.
Based on the hotly-debated international offer, Nigeria now has a strategic opportunity to dismantle these entrenched structures of violence. We encourage the government to seize this moment with courage and transparency, using lawful intelligence-driven action and international cooperation where necessary.
CONCLUSION
The OPC stands for a safe and secure Yoruba homeland within a stable Nigeria.
We remain open to structured, continuous engagement with security agencies and policymakers to ensure that the Yoruba space in the South-West, Kogi, Kwara, Edo and Delta states remains a place of safety, economic growth and communal harmony.
