The American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the killing of Oba Kehinde Falodun, the Alagamo of Agamo Community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State. The U.S.-based group described the monarch’s death as “barbaric, tragic, and avoidable,” insisting that Nigeria’s worsening security crisis demands urgent political and institutional intervention.
In a press release dated February 19, 2026, and signed by its President, Dr. Sylvester Onyia, AVID expressed “profound sorrow and outrage” over the reported assassination of the traditional ruler inside his palace on February 18. According to the group, eyewitness accounts indicated that armed men suspected to be bandits stormed the palace, carried out the attack, and fled the scene. The organization extended condolences to the royal family, the people of Agamo, and the wider Yoruba community, stating that no traditional institution should be subjected to such violence.
Linking The Incident To National Security Concerns
Beyond condemning the killing, AVID connected the incident to broader concerns about insecurity across Nigeria. The group referenced the detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), arguing that unresolved political tensions and what it described as selective justice have deepened divisions in the country.
The statement also mentioned James Omotosho, the judge who presided over Kanu’s case, noting that he hails from Ondo State. AVID claimed that political decisions surrounding Kanu’s trial and incarceration have had wider implications for national stability. The group maintained that security warnings raised in previous years should have been more carefully examined rather than dismissed.
AVID further alleged that armed groups operating in various parts of Nigeria have taken advantage of political disagreements and weak institutional responses. It argued that addressing root causes of insecurity requires dialogue, fairness in judicial processes, and collaboration among ethnic and regional leaders.
Calls For International Intervention And National Dialogue
As part of its demands, the organization called for the immediate and unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, alongside an international investigation into armed networks operating across Nigeria. AVID urged South-West governors, traditional rulers, and political leaders to support what it described as efforts toward reconciliation and national unity.
The group also appealed to the United States Government and the broader international community to increase diplomatic engagement with Nigeria on issues of security, justice, and human rights. According to AVID, restoring confidence in Nigeria’s justice system and security architecture is essential to preventing further tragedies.
In closing, AVID emphasized that its members — as former U.S. military personnel — would continue advocating for peace, stability, and what it termed equal justice under the law. Authorities in Ondo State have yet to release a comprehensive official account of the incident as investigations remain ongoing.
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