Economic Invasion, Physical and Psychological Warfare on Yoruba Land

By Bolarinwa Ayoola

The flame of insecurity that has been burning across Northern Nigeria has recently spread into South West Nigeria, a region long regarded as the most peaceful in the country. The bandit attack on Ahoro Esinle and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on 15 May 2026 opened a new chapter in the history of insecurity in Nigeria and marked a fresh frontier in the struggle against terrorism and commercialized large scale kidnapping in South West Nigeria.

The unprecedented mass kidnapping of 39 school children and 7 teachers in Esinle and Yawota came as a rude shock to the people of Oyo State and significantly heightened public apprehension regarding the safety of lives and property. The situation deteriorated further when a video surfaced showing one of the kidnapped teachers, Mr. Michael Olugbade Oyedokun being gruesomely beheaded and murdered as a means of sending a message to both the public and the state government.

The question on the lips of many people in South West Nigeria today is: why is the region now contending with terrorism? A few days after the abduction, reports emerged detailing the demands made by the kidnappers. The bandits reportedly demanded ₦1 billion, two Hilux trucks, and the implementation of the Sharia justice system, among other conditions.

The kidnapping of the school children in Oyo State is not an isolated incident. Rather, it is part of what appears to be an elaborate plan for the invasion of Yoruba land in pursuit of a Fulani expansionist agenda and the propagation of the violent form of Islam associated with Northern Nigeria.

The nineteenth century was characterized by conflicts between Yoruba states and the invading forces of the Sokoto Caliphate, which used Ilorin as a launch pad for further incursions into Yoruba land. The Fulani advance was halted following the defeat of the Fulani forces at the Battle of Osogbo in 1840. This victory effectively ended the infamous pledge attributed to Uthman Dan Fodio that he would dip his sword in the Atlantic Ocean after conquering Yoruba land.

Despite the creation of Nigeria in 1914 through the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates and the country’s eventual independence in 1960, the Sokoto Caliphate has continued, through both overt and covert means, to pursue influence and expansion into Yoruba land.

The North Central states bordering Yoruba land have experienced intensified attacks over the past two decades, accompanied by what many observers describe as the systematic destruction of indigenous communities, particularly in Plateau and Benue States. More recently, the violence has expanded into Kogi, Kwara, and Oyo States, signaling what appears to be the continued advance of expansionist forces toward Yoruba land.

The patterns and strategies attributed to the Sokoto Caliphate in Nigeria bear similarities to developments that have contributed to the rise of political Islam in traditionally Christian states across the United Kingdom and continental Europe. One of the major factors behind the growth of Muslim populations in parts of Europe has been migration from conflict-ridden and economically depressed regions of the Middle East. Many migrants move into secular European societies, bringing with them their religious and cultural traditions. Over time, they establish permanent communities, increase their demographic presence, and become influential actors in electoral and political processes.

There are estimated to be between 30 and 85 Sharia councils operating across the United Kingdom, particularly in areas such as Leyton in East London, Birmingham, and Manchester. In the past, small groups of radical individuals also attempted to establish so-called “Muslim Patrols” in parts of East London, including Whitechapel and Bethnal Green, prompting intervention by British law enforcement authorities.

Similarly, South West Nigeria has continued to receive a high influx of internal migrants, many of whom relocate in search of economic opportunities or as a result of the conflicts and insecurity affecting the predominantly Muslim northern region of Nigeria. This migration continues to affect the demographic composition of Yoruba land and contributes to the exportation of Northern Islamic cultural practices that differ from the traditional Yoruba expression of Islam. Consequently, this development is seen by many as contributing to the rise of political Islam and religion-driven insecurity across Yoruba land.

The abductors of the Oriire Local Government school children also demanded a ransom of ₦1 billion from the Oyo State Government. This demand represents a direct attempt to drain the financial resources of the state and grant jihadist elements access to wealth that can be used to sustain and expand their activities. In this regard, kidnapping becomes not merely a security challenge but also an economic strategy aimed at weakening Yoruba land and undermining its economic strength.

While the Sokoto Caliphate, through Islamic jihadist groups, leads what may be described as the physical assault on Yoruba land by imposing violence and psychological warfare on the Yoruba people, the Ibos, on the other hand, are perceived as leading a campaign of economic destruction through the creation of an underground economy sustained by illegal activities such as drug trafficking and the circulation of fake or substandard products.

These activities continue to erode human capital and productivity through the proliferation of chronic illnesses associated with the consumption of fake and substandard products. They also discourage innovation, reduce government revenue through tax evasion, impose financial losses on consumers, and undermine legitimate industries through unfair competition from operators within the shadow economy. Viewed from this perspective, these activities constitute deliberate strategies that contribute to the weakening of the Yoruba economy.

It is therefore imperative for stakeholders across the Yoruba nation to recognize the threats posed by what they perceive as coordinated attacks on Yoruba land. Both the violent and economic pressures exerted by other constituent groups within Nigeria are viewed as existential threats to one of the world’s oldest civilizations. There has never been a more important time for deliberate action aimed at protecting Yoruba land, preserving its people, and securing its future.