Despite sustained security operations, kidnapping and other violent crimes remain major concerns in Ondo State and across the South-West. In this interview with PETER DADA, the Ondo State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Oluyemi Ibiloye, explains why insecurity persists, the role of local informants in aiding criminals, and why he believes state policing could strengthen the fight against crime
There is widespread fear across the South-West over the worsening security situation. This appears to be unprecedented. What, in your view, is the root cause of the problem?
Security issues are evolving. At different times in our lives, we have faced different security challenges. There was a time in this country when the major issue was armed robbery. You travel at night and armed robbers block the road. That seems to be dying down now. There is less armed robbery in the country today. These criminals are evolving; it is almost like innovation. No society is completely free of crime. For example, I was in Singapore at the Singapore Aviation Academy on a study tour. In 2017–2018, they told us Singapore was one of the safest countries at the time. I asked the tour guide a question: if it is the safest, why do they have a prison? That’s because they took us to their prison. You discover that, yes, it is a place where you can travel at night. You see people walking around and even using their phones at night. If you do that in some areas in Nigeria, your phone will likely be snatched. So, different locations have different security challenges. What we are experiencing now started with farmer–herder conflict. In the past, cattle would stray into farms, leading to clashes between farmers and herdsmen. That was relatively mild. However, it has now evolved into kidnapping for ransom. Those involved have realized that this has become a more lucrative “business” than grazing cattle. They now kidnap innocent citizens and demand ransom. It is quite unfortunate. As a certified protection officer, you would observe that for a crime to occur, there must be opportunity. Opportunity must exist. The crime scene must be accessible. Let me give an example: if you pass in front of a house and see that the door is open, and you can clearly see that no one is inside, a criminal may see that as an opportunity to steal. However, no matter how open the door is, or how exposed valuables may be, if someone is present and monitoring the place, the criminal will think carefully before acting.
