IBADAN — In a direct legislative strike against the proliferation of rogue security outfits, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has signed Executive Order No. 001 of 2026 into law. The sweeping directive, officially titled the Executive Order on the Regulation of Associations, Groups and Organisations Offering Security and Allied Services, establishes an aggressive state-managed regulatory framework for every informal, community-based, or socio-cultural security entity operating within the state.
The formal signing, which occurred at the governor’s Kolapo Ishola Estate residence in Ibadan, was heavily attended by the state’s security high command. In attendance were the Deputy Governor, Barrister Adebayo Lawal; the State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga; the Special Adviser on Security, Mr. Abayomi Fagbenro; and the leadership of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The Catalyst: The Oriire School Crisis
The implementation of the Executive Order cannot be isolated from the ongoing security crisis in the state’s northern flank. Just days prior, on May 15, 2026, heavily armed men launched a coordinated assault on school communities within the Oriire Local Government Area, abducting a yet-to-be-disclosed number of pupils and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, alongside students from Community Grammar School in Esin Ele.
Addressing the media immediately after signing the document, Governor Makinde linked the new law to the shifting, highly sophisticated tactics of criminal networks, emphasizing that the state cannot allow unmonitored actors to crowd its security space.
“The executive order I just signed is another step in our institutional commitment to the protection of lives and properties across Oyo State,” Makinde stated firmly. “Security is not the responsibility of the government alone; it is a collective duty. However, at a time when insecurity has become more sophisticated, coordination, strict accountability, and proper regulation have become mandatory. We must ensure all groups operate within a clear legal and operational framework that supports peace and the rule of law.”
The 72-Hour Ultimatum and Operational Thresholds
Detailing the mechanics of the new legal instrument, the Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Abiodun Aikomo, clarified that the state is shifting from an era of passive tolerance to active policing of local guards.
According to Aikomo, the law imposes a strict threshold: any group, association, or community union that maintains a manpower strength exceeding five persons for the purpose of providing security, surveillance, or neighborhood protection must formally register with the state.
Existing informal security apparatuses—ranging from local hunters’ associations to street-level vigilante teams—have been handed a strict 72-hour ultimatum to notify the Office of the Governor through the Special Adviser on Security. Upon successful profiling and background documentation, conforming outfits will be issued formal certificates of registration.
“We have witnessed an uncontrolled surge of groups coming together to offer security services across the state,” Aikomo explained. “If this trend remains unregulated, it will inevitably lead to disastrous, unintended consequences. This order empowers the state government to accurately identify and monitor every individual carrying weapons or donning uniforms in the name of security. Failure to comply within the window constitutes a direct breach of Oyo State law and will attract immediate prosecution.”
Curbing the Flames of Ethnic Tension
Beyond the administrative filing of paperwork, Executive Order 001 carries an explicit political warning against the growing specter of ethnic profiling. The recent school abductions have ignited volatile rhetoric across regional socio-cultural lines, with several indigenous groups threatening independent retaliatory actions.
Governor Makinde issued a stern warning against unauthorized actors attempting to use security as a shield for ethnic confrontation or illegal expulsions.
“We must avoid at all costs anything that can lead to ethnic tension, where innocent citizens become targets simply because of their background,” the governor cautioned. “We will not tolerate individuals or organizations forming alternative armies under the guise of security, only to engage in discrimination or localized warfare. If you have a genuine desire to protect your community, submit to the state’s registration framework. Anything outside of this will be treated as criminal activity.”
The state police command and the NSCDC have been given an immediate directive to enforce compliance, marking an end to autonomous, unmonitored vigilante patrols on Oyo highways.
