The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has warned that terrorists ravaging Northern Nigeria are planning major attacks in the South-West states of Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, and Lagos.

“Our country is in a serious security threat; what is happening in most of the states now calls for concern,” Mr Adams said in an interview with News Central TV at his residence on Friday, following terrorist attacks in Kebbi, Kwara, and Niger.

Mr Adams, the national coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), a pan-Yoruba group, said intelligence was received that terrorists have infiltrated several South-West communities.

“We got an information on a very serious authority that we have been highly infiltrated in the South-West by these terrorists in most communities in Yorubaland.

“You know, Kogi and Kwara are just like buffer zones to the South-West. What they are doing in Kwara is just a test of grounds to start the major attacks in the South-West. The information at our disposal is that they want to attack Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, and Lagos states,” said the OPC coordinator.

Mr Adams also alleged that the different terrorist groups are coordinated by foreign elements, with separate targets and ideologies motivated by religion, economy, and ethnicity.

“I can tell you authoritatively that this thing is being coordinated by some foreigners; it goes beyond Nigerians,” said Mr Adams. “One of the reasons behind these attacks is three issues: it’s religiously motivated, economically motivated, and ethnicity is there. Different groups have their own way of target on the basis of their own ideology.”

The spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, Benjamin Hundeyin, did not respond to a request for comments on Mr Adams’ allegation. However, he read messages sent via WhatsApp but failed to reply.

Mr Adams’ comments came hours after terrorists attacked St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School, Papiri, in the Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting over 300 pupils, students, and teachers.

On Monday, terrorists invaded Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State, kidnapped 25 female students, and killed one staff member.

Also, a parish of the Christ Apostolic Church in Oke Isegun, in the Eruku community, in the Ekiti Local Government Area, Kwara State, a boundary town with Kogi State, was attacked on Tuesday. Three worshippers were killed while the pastor and congregation members were whisked away.