Retired General Raises Alarm Over Hidden Forces Behind South-West Crisis

(Former Minister of Communications, Maj. Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju. Photo by Tribune Online)

Former Communications Minister Maj. Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju (retd) has characterized the wave of kidnappings and terrorist activity in the South-West as a commercially and politically motivated enterprise, dismissing any notion that it stems from territorial ambitions or religious ideology.

In a statement, the retired general said the violence should not be mistaken for a bid to seize land or spread Islam, but is instead driven by profit with perpetrators kidnapping for ransom, killing to inspire fear, and serving the interests of political sponsors seeking to destabilize the region and gain power.

He noted that those behind the attacks have adopted guerrilla tactics designed to stretch security forces thin and unsettle civilian communities.

He also warned that no part of the South-West, including Lagos State, is immune to these threats, as infiltrating terrorists can strike anywhere across the zone.

Olanrewaju urged authorities to stop treating the situation as ordinary banditry, arguing it has clearly crossed the threshold into terrorism and must be officially recognized as such.

He cautioned that failure to act decisively could threaten Nigeria’s territorial integrity and national cohesion.

Among his recommendations, he called for an immediate declaration of a State of Emergency in affected states to trigger comprehensive emergency response measures.

He also proposed that state governors engage senior retired military officers as consultants to help shape an effective strategic response to the crisis.