By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA — Governors across Nigeria’s North-Central and South-West regions have activated extensive surveillance and counter-terror measures following an alert from the Department of State Services (DSS) detailing a plot by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) to launch coordinated attacks on communities in Ondo and Kogi states.
The confidential DSS letter, addressed to the Nigerian Army’s 32 Artillery Brigade in Akure, specifically warned of “imminent attacks” on Eriti-Akoko, Oyin-Akoko (Akoko North-West LGA), and Owo town in Ondo State. The intelligence indicated that the terror group had commenced surveillance on potential soft targets.
The threat has compelled governments in neighboring states, including Osun, Kwara, and Ekiti, to heighten security along their porous borders with the affected areas, with officials urging calm while stressing extreme vigilance among residents.
Ondo, Kogi Govts Confirm Threats, Urge Vigilance
In Ondo State, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed the state was acting on the security threat, clarifying that the leaked memo was part of regular intelligence reports shared among agencies. The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, assured residents that proactive measures were being taken, especially in border communities, to prevent a recurrence of the June 2022 Owo church attack. Scared residents, however, appealed to authorities to treat the threat with the utmost seriousness.
The Kogi State Government, which shares borders with ten states, also called for calm and vigilance. Information Commissioner Kingsley Fanwo described the intelligence as a step towards victory, commending the DSS for its proactive work. He assured citizens that Governor Ahmed Ododo’s administration had reinforced strategic security measures and intensified surveillance, particularly in border communities, vowing to protect the people at all costs.
Neighboring States Mobilize Forces
Governments of neighboring states, keen to prevent infiltration, have activated their security frameworks:
- Osun State: Special Adviser on Security, Mr. Samuel Ojo, disclosed that the administration had acted to prevent infiltration into boundary communities even before the DSS alarm became public. He confirmed that security advisers from Ondo, Ekiti, Kogi, and Kwara were periodically meeting and exchanging intelligence.
- Ekiti State: Brigadier Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (Rtd.), Special Adviser on Security, confirmed that the state security council had met and deployed operatives along the borders with Ondo and Kogi. Local hunters, the Ekiti Amotekun Corps, and Agro Marshals have been mobilized to work with the Army, including commencing bush clearing to dislodge criminals.
- Kwara State: The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, stated that the command is “fully on top of the situation,” intensifying surveillance and collaborating with sister agencies. She confirmed police support for an ongoing military operation to flush out bandits from forest areas near the borders.
- Ogun State: The government announced a heightened surveillance strategy along borders with Ondo, Oyo, and Osun, deploying a robust intelligence network and strategic patrol teams across highways, forests, and border corridors.
Kaduna Commends DSS for Gunrunning Syndicate Bust
In a related security development, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani commended the President and the DSS for dismantling a major gunrunning syndicate operating across the North. The DSS arrested three suspects in separate covert operations in Igabi and Kachia Local Government Areas, recovering multiple AK-47 rifles, a PKT machine gun, and hundreds of rounds of live ammunition.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), disclosed that the weapons were being trafficked to a notorious bandit network in Niger State. Governor Sani affirmed that the successful sting operation reinforces the effectiveness of the state’s security framework, which emphasizes intelligence sharing and inter-agency collaboration.