The Obaro of Kabba and Chairman of the Okun Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty Oba Solomon Dele Owoniyi, has formally called for the adoption of a “community-driven security model” as the most effective strategy to dismantle the networks of abductions and banditry currently plaguing the North-Central region. Speaking during a high-level security consultative meeting with traditional rulers and state officials, the monarch maintained that the “over-dependence on centralized policing” has proven insufficient in protecting rural and forest-bordering communities. He argued that the current security architecture often lacks the “local intelligence and geographical familiarity” required to track criminal elements who utilize the difficult terrain as a sanctuary for their illicit activities.
Oba Owoniyi’s advocacy is rooted in the “lived experience” of the Okun people and neighboring communities who have witnessed an increase in “hit-and-run” kidnappings along the major transport corridors. The monarch proposed that the Federal Government and the various state administrations should formally integrate traditional institutions into the national security framework, providing them with the legal backing and resources to coordinate local vigilante groups. Supporting context for this proposal suggests that “community-led surveillance” has historically been more effective in identifying “suspicious movements” before they escalate into full-scale attacks. The Obaro maintained that “every forest has a neighbor,” and by empowering those neighbors, the state can create an “impenetrable web of intelligence” that would make the region unattractive for bandits and their collaborators.
Stakeholder reactions to the Obaro’s call have been characterized by a “renewed interest in regional security collaboration.” Several other traditional rulers in the North-Central have backed the move, noting that they are the “first responders” to security crises in their domains but are often “handicapped by a lack of official authority.” Similarly, some security experts have lauded the monarch’s vision, suggesting that “hybrid policing” where formal forces work in tandem with local hunters and vigilantes is the most viable solution for the Nigerian “security vacuum.” However, they also warned that such a model must be “strictly regulated” to prevent the rise of “ethnic militias” and to ensure that all community security units operate within the ambit of the law and human rights standards.
Security and conflict analysts observe that the Obaro’s advocacy highlights a “growing lack of confidence” in the ability of the federal police to secure the hinterlands. Experts suggest that “traditional-led security” is a return to an “ancillary policing system” that was highly effective in pre-colonial and early post-colonial Nigeria. They argue that the “logistical challenges” faced by the military and police in covering vast, unpoliced forest reserves can only be solved through a “participatory approach” where the community has a “stake in its own safety.” Analyst Dr. Kabiru Adamu noted that “intelligence is the currency of modern security,” adding that traditional rulers are the “custodians of the most valuable intelligence” in the country.
The broader implications of this proposal point toward a “potential legislative push” for the constitutional recognition of traditional rulers in security management. If the Obaro’s model is successfully piloted and adopted, it could lead to a significant reduction in “response times” to distress calls and a “higher rate of prevention” for kidnappings. The move is also expected to foster “greater social cohesion” as communities take active responsibility for their collective defense. As the North-Central states deliberate on the “regional security architecture,” the focus remains on the “funding and training” of these community units. For the people of Kabba and the wider Okun land, the monarch’s advocacy represents a “proactive search for peace” in an era of unprecedented insecurity.
