IBADAN โ A video of a Yoruba man expressing deep frustration over the perceived passive response of communities in the South-West to the rising wave of kidnappings has triggered intense debate across the country.
The manโs comments follow recent high-profile abductions in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, where gunmen kidnapped school children and their teachers from a local institution.
In the recorded reaction, the individual compared the security response in Oyo State to a recent incident in Abia State, where local youth mobilized immediately after suspected herdsmen abducted residents and demanded a โฆ10 million ransom. In that eastern community, the youth entered the forests alongside security agencies, leading to the successful rescue of the victims within 24 hours.
“Iโm really ashamed to call myself a Yoruba man,” the commentator stated, contrasting the two scenarios. “Yesterday, some herdsmen kidnapped people in Abia State and demanded a โฆ10 million ransom. Immediately, youths of the community mobilized, stormed the bush and assisted in the search efforts. The victims were rescued within 24 hours. Did you hear about it on social media?”
He went on to criticize the lack of similar grassroots resistance in the South-West, noting that despite the targeting of vulnerable school children and teachers in Ogbomoso, local youths have failed to enter the forests to confront the criminal elements.
The blunt critique has split opinions online. While some residents agree that local hunter groups, vigilantes, and youths must become more aggressive in defending their ancestral lands, others argue that ordinary citizens cannot be blamed for avoiding forests when facing sophisticated criminal syndicates armed with military-grade weaponry without state backing.
