By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in Chief, People’s Security Monitor, Abuja

The horrifying rise in kidnappings and violent attacks across Oyo State has exposed a dangerous collapse of security coordination and leadership, leaving residents increasingly vulnerable to criminal gangs operating with frightening boldness. The recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Ogbomoso, alongside the brutal killing of a kidnapped teacher, has triggered outrage across the state and renewed serious concerns about the competence of those entrusted with the responsibility of protecting lives and property.

What makes the situation even more disturbing is the growing perception that security agencies in the state have become reactive rather than proactive. Criminals appear to move freely across communities, attacking schools, highways, farms, and rural settlements with little resistance. The repeated nature of these attacks raises difficult but necessary questions about intelligence failures, operational negligence, poor inter-agency collaboration, and the inability of security authorities to dismantle criminal networks before they strike.

The abduction of innocent schoolchildren in Ogbomoso was not just another crime statistic; it was a national embarrassment and a painful reminder that no community is truly safe anymore. Schools, which should represent safety and hope for the future, have now become soft targets for kidnappers seeking ransom and terror. The psychological trauma inflicted on the children, teachers, parents, and entire communities may take years to heal.

Even more painful was the reported beheading of one of the abducted teachers, an incident that sent shockwaves across the country and deepened public anger. Such barbarity reflects the frightening level of lawlessness gradually taking root in parts of the state. Citizens are therefore justified in asking why these criminal groups continue to operate repeatedly without being decisively crushed by security forces.

At a time when intelligence gathering and rapid response should be prioritised, many rural communities in Oyo State remain poorly secured and dangerously exposed. Residents have repeatedly complained about inadequate patrols, delayed responses to distress calls, and the absence of visible security presence in vulnerable areas. Yet, despite these concerns, there appears to be little urgency among those in charge to radically improve the security architecture before more innocent lives are lost.

In any serious and accountable system, the heads of security formations overseeing such repeated failures would be subjected to immediate performance reviews and investigations. Leadership comes with responsibility, and when insecurity escalates to this alarming level, accountability cannot be avoided. Security chiefs must explain what preventive measures were put in place, what intelligence was received before the attacks, how quickly operatives responded, and why criminal elements continue to strike with such confidence.

Beyond removal from office, there is also a growing demand for a comprehensive investigation into the activities and operational conduct of security authorities handling security matters in the state. If evidence of negligence, compromise, dereliction of duty, or abuse of office is established, appropriate legal and disciplinary actions should follow. Public office, especially in security institutions, must never become a shield against accountability.

The tragedy unfolding in Oyo State should serve as a wake-up call to both the state and federal authorities. The protection of lives is the primary responsibility of government, and when citizens can no longer travel safely, send their children to school confidently, or sleep peacefully in their homes, then leadership at every level must be questioned.

The people of Oyo State deserve more than press statements and routine assurances. They deserve decisive action, effective intelligence-driven operations, stronger community protection strategies, and security leadership capable of confronting criminality with seriousness and urgency. Anything short of that would amount to abandoning innocent citizens to fear, violence, and uncertainty.