Oyo State is set to deploy surveillance aircraft as part of a broader effort to strengthen its security architecture amid growing concerns over school abductions, border infiltration, and escalating rural security threats.
Governor Seyi Makinde said the surveillance aircraft, currently being assembled at the Nigerian Air Force hangar in Lagos, will become operational before the end of June and will serve as a critical tool for aerial monitoring in vulnerable parts of the state.
The move comes in the wake of the recent attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area, where pupils and teachers were abducted, heightening concerns over insecurity in rural communities and exposing the challenges of policing remote border areas.
Briefing journalists in Ibadan, Makinde said the deployment forms part of a long-term strategy to modernize Oyo’s security framework through technology-driven intelligence gathering and rapid threat detection.
He explained that the aircraft would be deployed to monitor strategic flashpoints, particularly the border communities between Oyo and Kwara states, as well as the international boundary between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
According to the governor, strengthening aerial surveillance is essential to addressing the complex security challenges posed by the cross-border criminal activity and the growing sophistication of armed groups operating in forested and hard-to-reach areas.
“The surveillance aircraft have arrived in the country and are currently being reassembled. They should be fully operational on or before the end of June,” Makinde said.
He clarified that the initiative was not conceived as an immediate response to the recent school abduction but as part of a broader security strategy developed well before the incident.
“We did not procure the aircraft because of this particular attack. This is part of our deliberate efforts to improve security capability and strengthen border monitoring across the state,” he said.
Security analysts say the integration of aerial surveillance into subnational security planning reflects a growing recognition among state governments of the need to adopt advanced monitoring tools to tackle increasingly mobile and networked criminal threats.
For Oyo, whose expansive rural terrain and border corridors present persistent security vulnerabilities, the deployment could significantly enhance intelligence gathering and improve response coordination among security agencies.
Speaking on the Oriire abduction, Makinde reiterated that the state would not succumb to terror and assured residents that efforts were ongoing to secure the safe return of those abducted.
He confirmed that seven students had been conclusively identified among the victims, while coordinated rescue operations involving multiple security agencies remain underway.
“We will not give in to terror. We will do everything possible to ensure that our children and their teachers are returned safely,” the governor said.
He added that the government remained open to dialogue if it would facilitate the immediate release of the victims, stressing that the safety of the abductees remains the state’s foremost priority.
Makinde also urged residents to support security agencies by providing credible intelligence and to maintain vigilance within their communities.
“If you see something strange, say something, and expect us to do something,” he said.
He further cautioned against sensational reporting of the incident, noting that the disclosure of operational details could compromise ongoing rescue efforts.
The deployment of aerial surveillance, he said, underscores the state government’s commitment to building a more proactive and intelligence-led security system capable of responding to evolving threats across Oyo State.
