In a string of successful operations over the past two weeks, the Ondo State Amotekun Corps has thwarted five kidnap attempts, rescuing victims and rounding up suspects.
At a press briefing where he discussed the operation, the state commander, Adetunji Adeleye, described how collaboration with local hunters and relentless overnight chases led to the release of the abductees and the dismantling of kidnappers’ rings.
Across the state, the corps’ proactive measures have led to the arrest of multiple robbery suspects, restoring security to a people long terrorised by crime and armed violence.
A mix of factors—from local collaboration to rapid response systems—has bolstered this local resistance against insecurity. First, the corps’ open-distress communication line fosters intelligence sharing, encouraging locals to report suspicious movements early enough, before victims are spirited away.
Additionally, engaging hunters and local vigilantes has proved equally helpful, since they are familiar with the terrain and can share information on kidnappers’ hideouts. This unique alliance between conventional security and community intelligence units presents a strategic model for other states faced with rural insecurity.
Yet another primal measure that has aided the corps’ role in reducing farmer-herder clashes. Through enforcement of the state’s anti-open grazing law. By mediating disputes and deploying rural patrols, Amoteken has helped to de-escalate tensions in rural communities, which kidnappers thrive off.
This preventive approach ensures that farmers can work safely while livestock movement is monitored to avoid trespass. In doing so, Amotekun is addressing a root cause of insecurity while supporting food production in the region.
Tech and local partnerships
Meanwhile, Oyo State offers a complementary model through its Safe City Project, which leverages CCTV networks and drones to monitor high-crime zones. Managed by the Oyo State Security Network and other security platforms, the system enables real-time surveillance, swift response, and data-driven policing.
This tech-driven approach has led to several kidnappers’ arrests in Ibadan and its surrounding areas, sending a clear signal to criminals that they’re being watched. By combining surveillance with ground operations, Oyo State demonstrates the value of infrastructural investment in curbing urban and peri-urban crime across Nigeria.
Similarly, Kaduna State’s community policing initiative, involving trained local vigilantes working alongside formal security agencies, has recorded reductions in highway kidnappings. Implemented through local councils, the programme trains volunteers in early warning and conflict mediation.
By tapping into local knowledge, Kaduna’s model removes the anonymity that kidnappers rely upon and restores the people’s trust in security efforts.
Local youths, attuned to their communities, can quickly spot unfamiliar individuals and report unusual movements, making them a vital part of the security network.
Ondo’s latest breakthroughs with Amotekun reaffirm that the most sustainable solution to Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis lies in community-level security structures, supported by tech, grassroots intelligence and multi-agency cooperation.
Despite the challenges, these initiatives show promise. With the right funding, legal backing and training, they can be scaled nationwide to protect lives and restore peace in vulnerable communities.
In recent operations, the Ondo State Amotekun Corps successfully prevented five kidnap attempts, rescuing victims and apprehending suspects through collaboration with local hunters and overnight chases. This proactive approach also led to the arrest of robbery suspects, enhancing security in the state. Key strategies include open-distress communication lines for early intelligence sharing, and partnerships with local vigilantes familiar with the terrain, creating an effective model for tackling rural insecurity. Moreover, Amotekun's enforcement of the state's anti-open grazing law has reduced farmer-herder clashes, ensuring safer farming environments and supporting regional food production.
Complementary models in other states, like Oyo's Safe City Project employing CCTV and drones, demonstrate the value of tech-driven surveillance combined with policing to combat urban crime. Meanwhile, Kaduna's community policing initiative, involving trained local vigilantes, has decreased highway kidnappings by leveraging local knowledge for early warning and conflict mediation. These initiatives underscore the importance of community-level security supported by technology, intelligence, and cooperation, which, despite challenges, show potential for nationwide implementation to restore peace in vulnerable areas of Nigeria.
