Oyo to regulate local security groups amid rising security challenges

By Adejayan Gbenga

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has signed an Executive Order regulating the registration, coordination and operations of vigilante groups and other community-based security organisations across the state.

He said the move was necessary to strengthen security coordination, curb the abuse of unregulated groups and reduce the risk of ethnic tension amid rising insecurity in parts of the country.

Makinde signed the order during a briefing held at his private residence in Ibadan, where top security officials and government functionaries were present.

The decision follows recent security challenges in parts of the state, including abductions in communities within Oriire Local Government Area, which the government said underscored the need for improved coordination among security stakeholders.

Officials said the growing emergence of local groups operating under different security labels made it necessary to establish a clear legal and operational framework for their registration, monitoring and accountability.

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abiodun Aikomo, said any group involved in security-related activities with more than five members must formally notify the state government and register through the Office of the Governor.

He explained that such groups would be documented and issued certificates for recognition and monitoring, while existing groups have 72 hours to comply with the directive or face legal consequences.

Governor Makinde warned that security operations must not be used as a cover for ethnic profiling or any form of action capable of inflaming tensions among communities, stressing that all activities must remain within lawful and regulated frameworks.