The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has said Nigeria’s diverse security challenges require innovative, context-specific solutions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

He stated this on Thursday while receiving participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 19 from the National Institute for Security Studies, Abuja, who visited his palace in Oyo town.

The monarch said understanding the local dynamics of insecurity is essential to building an effective national response, noting that threats vary across regions and must be addressed accordingly.

He explained that Nigeria’s security problems go beyond insurgency, adding that ethnic militias and criminal groups also pose significant threats to stability and governance.

According to him, an effective security strategy must integrate social development, improved access to government services, job creation, and strengthened justice systems.

He stressed that accessible and trusted justice mechanisms could help reduce tensions and prevent conflicts from escalating.

The Alaafin also warned against the inability to maintain security presence in reclaimed territories, saying such gaps often allow armed groups to regroup and return.

He said sustained deployment of security forces in vulnerable communities is necessary to prevent recurring cycles of violence and displacement.

The monarch further called for stronger collaboration between citizens and security agencies, noting that intelligence sharing and public cooperation remain vital to national security.

He added that ethnic militias undermine democracy by weakening state authority, disrupting political processes, and fuelling violence across communities.

The Alaafin, however, acknowledged that some of these groups emerge from grievances and institutional failures, but said many eventually evolve into criminal networks involved in kidnappings, killings, and the destruction of infrastructure.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Halima Ibrahim, said the visit was part of their intelligence training programme aimed at learning from traditional institutions on managing ethnic militias and related security challenges.