Written By Idowu Ephraim Faleye – 08132100608
MY SECOND LETTER TO MR. PRESIDENT: A CRY FOR URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT YORUBALAND FROM IMMINENT OCCUPATION
Mr. President,
Permit me once again to address Your Excellency for the second time in such a short span of time. I am compelled by the gravity of the danger looming over Yorubaland. Sir, this letter is not written in pursuit of attention or applause. It is born purely out of an urgent call to duty to raise the alarm on the imminent occupation of Yorubaland. I respectfully implore you, Mr. President, to treat every other issue as secondary for now and give undivided attention to this matter of national emergency. Yorubaland is facing an existential threat that demands nothing less than the total focus of the government and the collective mobilization of all our national resources, political will, and military might to save Yorubaland from Fulani invasion.
The audacity of the Fulani bandits to overrun a trained army of a nation is not just a criminal activity; it is a declaration of war. Their capabilities are not the work of disorganized criminals but of a battle-tested force, organized, trained, and battle-hardened. In neighbouring Republic of Benin, these bandits recently launched a coordinated assault on a national army barracks, leaving hundreds of trained soldiers dead and carting away military weapons. The scale and success of that operation should send chills down the spine of every leader who truly understands the stakes. It is an unmistakable warning that these insurgents are no longer content with rural banditry but are gearing up for territorial conquest.
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In our own country, Mr. President, we have witnessed them invade and sack military formations. We saw how they stormed the University of Abuja staff quarters, an area located dangerously close to a Nigerian Army base, and operated for over 90 minutes without resistance. That they could launch such an operation with surgical precision and escape without consequence is a testimony to their growing boldness and military sophistication. In Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, another national tragedy unfolded when over 10 gallant Nigerian soldiers were killed during an attack on their military facility. These are not sporadic attacks; they are tactical, organized operations aimed at breaking our national defence capabilities.
Beyond these bold military-style attacks, these insurgents have mapped and infiltrated Yoruba forests with terrifying thoroughness. They have transformed these once-peaceful green belts into operational bases, fortresses from which they launch attacks, plan abductions, and terrorize surrounding communities. These forests are not randomly chosen; they are strategically positioned to allow easy mobility, concealment, and access to major towns and highways. Even more alarming is the revelation that many of these battle-ready insurgents have migrated into Yoruba cities, working under the guise of Okada riders, security guards, cart pushers, and other menial jobs. Through these roles, they study our cities intimately—our street layouts, our security arrangements, our economic activities—waiting for the opportune time to strike from within.
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The infiltration is systematic and calculated. It is not a mere coincidence. It is warfare by stealth. Every city, every town that tolerates unchecked infiltration is unknowingly surrendering its soul to occupation. The unsettling truth is that these men are not just struggling for survival or driven by hunger; they are trained soldiers embedded among civilians, spies gathering intelligence, and sleeper cells awaiting activation. If we allow this to continue unchecked, we will wake up one day to find our towns falling like dominoes, overwhelmed from within without warning.
Mr. President, I must say it plainly: the response so far from governments at all levels has been woefully inadequate. It has been slow, inconsistent, and dangerously underwhelming compared to the magnitude of the threat we face. Instead of acknowledging this for what it is, many in government circles continue to treat it as just another security issue, another statistic to be lamented and forgotten. We are behaving as if we are in normal time when the very ground beneath our feet is slipping away.
The Bible tells the story of the days of Noah, when warnings of impending disaster fell on deaf ears, and men continued in their daily affairs until the floods came and swept them all away. Mr. President, that tragic analogy stares us in the face today. We are receiving warning upon warning—villages sacked, soldiers killed, barracks attacked, civilians abducted in broad daylight—and yet, we continue with business as usual. The floods of destruction are gathering, yet our leaders dance as if the rains will somehow spare them. If urgent and extraordinary measures are not taken, history will record that our generation was warned but chose complacency over courage.
From what happened in the Republic of Benin and from multiple coordinated attacks in Nigeria, it is abundantly clear that the Nigeria Police Force cannot match the professionalism, tactical manoeuvring, and ferocity of these Fulani bandits. The police are simply not trained nor equipped for such warfare. To continue sending the police after them is a dangerous mischaracterization of the threat we face. This is not armed robbery. This is not petty kidnapping. This is a full-scale military incursion that demands a full-scale military response.
A stitch in time saves nine. We must not wait until these insurgents escalate their attacks to levels comparable to what Boko Haram unleashed in the North-East. By then, it may be too late, and the cost of reclaiming our sovereignty will be too steep in lives, in blood, and in national dignity. The time to act is now, with overwhelming force, with a resolute national focus, and with a long-term strategy of neutralization and prevention.
The fight against this insurgency must involve the deployment of land troops, air surveillance and strikes, and waterway patrols. No part of Nigeria should be left unsecured. The government must unleash the full arsenal of war at our disposal, not with half-hearted measures but with a determination befitting the defence of our homeland. Fighter jets must pound identified hideouts. Ground forces must conduct sweeping, coordinated raids. Intelligence agencies must work overtime to infiltrate their cells. Technology must be leveraged, including drones, satellite imaging, and cyber tracking, to expose and disrupt their networks.
It is equally important to engage the local communities, the hunters, the vigilantes, and the traditional rulers. Their knowledge of the terrain is invaluable and their cooperation can tip the scales. We must also close our borders firmly and decisively to prevent the influx of foreign fighters and illegal arms. Our immigration policies must be strengthened, and those already residing in Nigeria under suspicious circumstances must be thoroughly vetted. The government must launch an immediate nationwide census of Okada riders and similar sectors to weed out infiltrators camouflaging as labourers.
Mr. President, please hear the heartbeat of your people. Feel the fear that grips rural communities daily. Understand the anguish of mothers who sleep with one eye open, fearing for their children’s lives. See the despair in the faces of farmers who can no longer access their farmlands because death awaits them in the bush. Imagine the helplessness of families ripped apart by abduction and slaughter. The soul of Nigeria is crying for help.
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It is for this reason I repeat that everything else must be placed on hold. Political appointments, administrative reforms, economic summits, legislative debates—all these must take a backseat to the urgent task of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria. Without security, no economy can grow. Without security, no education can thrive. Without security, no infrastructure will endure. Without security, no election will be credible. Security is the foundation of civilization itself.
History will not remember us for how many kilometres of roads we built during a time of war, but for whether we had the foresight to stand up, unite, and defend our nation when the walls were closing in. Mr. President, your name will either be written in gold as the leader who rose to save his people, or it will be remembered with regret as one who was distracted while invaders overran his country. The choice is yours. The moment demands courage and decisive leadership.
The blood of every Nigerian demands justice. Every life lost because of government inaction will stand as a testimony before posterity. Every displaced child, every grieving widow, every orphaned soul will bear witness. Yet, Mr. President, it is not too late. You have the mandate, the machinery, and the moral authority to act decisively. You can summon the full force of the Republic to crush this growing monster before it becomes an uncontrollable inferno.
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Mr. President, I cannot, in good faith, stay silent while our collective future hangs so precariously in the balance. I write this letter with a heavy heart. I write as one who has seen the future that inaction portends for our beloved country. I write because I still believe in the destiny of Nigeria as a great and united nation. I write because I cannot bear the thought of our dreams being buried under the boots of occupation. Please, Mr. President, heed this call not because it is loud, but because it is just. Heed it not because it is convenient, but because it is necessary. Heed it not for my sake, but for the sake of the millions whose hopes now rest on your shoulders.
May the Almighty God grant you the strength, the wisdom, and the courage to do what must be done at this critical hour.
Yours patriotically,
Idowu Ephraim Faleye
Idowu Faleye is the founder and publisher of EphraimHill DataBlog, a platform committed to Data Journalism and Policy Analysis. With Public Administration and Data Analytics background, his articles offer research-driven insights on Politics, governance and Public Service delivery
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