The recent abductions in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has heightened fears that kidnapping and armed violence are spreading deeper into South-West Nigeria with Lagos and the sea just down the road. While mass abductions and bandit attacks were once associated mainly with parts of Northern Nigeria, recent incidents across Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti States have reduced public confidence in the country’s security architecture. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, more than 400 kidnapping incidents have been reported across Nigeria, with thousands falling victim to bandits and criminal networks. There are several others likely undocumented. As kidnappings, ransom demands, and attacks continue with little deterrence, debates surrounding the legalisation of firearms for self-defence are beginning to rise again across the country.