- Aare Ona Kakanfo Gani Adams has warned that the Amotekun Corps is being undermined by political patronage, with recruitment in many states favoring political followers over trained security personnel.
- He described Nigeria’s worsening insecurity as a “business venture” involving an organized network of collaborators from various regions, specifically citing increased kidnappings in Epe and Ibeju-Lekki.
- Adams proposed a decentralized State Police model funded by a 60/40 split between state and local governments, arguing that the current centralized system has failed to protect traditional rulers and citizens.
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has raised a grave alarm over the current state of the South-West security outfit, Amotekun, asserting that the initiative has been heavily compromised by political interests.
Eko Hot Blog reports that speaking in a detailed interview on Saturday, March 21, 2026, the Yoruba leader lamented that what began as a grassroots movement to protect the region has increasingly become a tool for political patronage, with recruitment processes favoring political followers over competent security personnel.
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Adams further asserted that insecurity in Nigeria has transitioned from a mere national challenge into a lucrative “business venture.”
He pointed out that kidnapping and banditry are no longer the exclusive domain of any single ethnic group but have become an organized agenda involving collaborators from the South-West, South-East, and North.
According to him, these criminal activities are particularly hitting hard in major cities and riverine communities, including Epe and Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos State.
The Yoruba leader expressed deep concern over the vulnerability of traditional rulers, revealing that at least seven monarchs have been murdered by terrorists across the South-West and Yoruba-speaking areas of Kwara State.
He noted that the lack of response from regional governors to his repeated calls for collaboration has left the community exposed.
Adams has reportedly offered the support of over 30 security stakeholder groups to work alongside the government, but these offers have largely gone unacknowledged.
As a primary solution, Adams reiterated the urgent need for the Federal Government to approve the creation of state police.
He proposed a decentralized funding model where local governments provide 40% of the budget and state governments contribute 60%.
Dismissing fears that state governors might abuse such power, he argued that constitutional safeguards and the judiciary would provide necessary checks, whereas the current centralized system has already failed to protect the lives of citizens.
With the 2027 elections approaching, Adams warned that failure to address these security lapses immediately could have devastating consequences for the region.
He called for a return to merit-based recruitment within Amotekun and a shift toward community-based intelligence gathering to reclaim the security of Yorubaland.
