The Federal Government has launched a covert investigation into rising religious tension in the South West, with concerns over extremist activities threatening the region’s long-standing harmony.
Two recent incidents in Oyo State—attempts to introduce a Sharia court in Oyo Town and the arrest of a traditionalist, John Olanrewaju Ifagbemi, for alleged desecration of the Quran—have heightened suspicions.
According to the Nigerian Tribune Security agencies have been directed to monitor and address these issues.
Additionally, fears persist over insurgents infiltrating the South West via forests like the Old Oyo National Park and the Kamoko Forest, which stretches from Kaduna, Niger and Kwara states and links the Oyo National Park, there are reports that some extremist groups are also moving to infiltrate the South West and spread religious hate.
Recall that the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, during the 2025 annual inter-faith service which took place in Ibadan, raised the alarm that insurgents and terrorists fleeing from military bombardment in the North, were relocating to the state and other states in South-West and building camps in the forests there.
President of a sociocultural group, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi (alias Askari), in a statement, copy of which was made available to newsmen on Sunday, recalled that these foreign terrorists had always said that after conquering the North, the South would be next, adding: “Now, it is happening.”
Afolabi assured that OPC, under his leadership was ready to “let these evil dreamers know that Yorubaland can never be conquered or occupied by foreign invaders, urging the six governors of Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti states to extend their invite to the group “to deal with this menace today before it is too late.”
“We have the men and capacity to confront these foreign invaders physically, militantly, technologically and spiritually. All we are demanding from South-West governors is the necessary invitation, equipment and support to do what needs to be done to wipe out this menace of foreign criminals,” he said.
The Yoruba socio-cultural group also called on President Bola Tinubu to collaborate with the six South-West governors to ensure that the threat of Boko Haram and other similar insurgents was quickly neutralised in the geo-political zone before it became too late.