Afenifere sounds warning over surge in abduction incidents across Oyo, Ogun, and other states

Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, has voiced its discontent over the surging cases of kidnapping and terror attacks in Yorubaland and other parts of the country, as stated in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Tuesday.

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The organisation is deeply troubled by the fact that terror attacks, including kidnappings, are now a daily occurrence in various parts of the country, a stark contrast to the past when such incidents were rare in Yorubaland, which comprises Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, and parts of Kogi.

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Ajayi expressed the organisation's concern over the sacking of communities, kidnapping, killing, livestock rustling, arson, and maiming of people in some parts of the country, including Plateau, Benue, Niger, Nassarawa, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, Kaduna, and the Federal Capital Territory.

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Afenifere has been drawing attention to the rising banditry in the country for years, warning that it could escalate into full-blown terrorism, which is now the case, with communities being sacked, military bases and police stations being attacked, and people being killed or kidnapped.

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The organisation is particularly disturbed by recent incidents, including the kidnapping of a trader at Jinarere in Ibadan, the abduction of two staffers of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company on Ibadan-Ijebu-ode Road, and attacks on families in Ondo and Ekiti.

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Ajayi also cited the killing of farmers in Tede, Ago-Are, the killing of military police men in Tenibo/Kenanji in Kwara State, and the desertion of palaces by some traditional rulers in Kwara state due to bandits' incessant attacks.

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In light of these incidents, Afenifere is calling on the Federal Government, through the National Youth Service Corps, to allow youth corpers to undergo their one-year programme in their respective states rather than being posted outside their immediate enclaves.

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Ajayi mentioned specific cases of youth corpers who were abducted or killed while on their way to NYSC Orientation Camps, including Sodiq Ogunlana, a LASU graduate who was shot and abducted on his way to Orientation Camp in Ede, Osun State.

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He also cited the cases of Lateefah, a graduate of Kwara Polytechnic who was abducted on her way to the NYSC camp in Taraba State, and Gift David Samiya, who was abducted on the Akwanga-Jos road while going to the camp.

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Afenifere first made this call in 2021, after some youth corps members were attacked by bandits, and recent happenings have prompted the organisation to reiterate its call for youth corpers to be mobilised to serve in their respective states or states of residence.

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Ajayi argued that youth corpers deserve special treatment due to their peculiar nature and that if the scheme cannot be suspended, it should be modified to allow participants to serve in their respective states or states of residence.

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On the mechanism to tackle banditry and terrorism, Afenifere's spokesman maintained that non-kinetic methods should be given more emphasis than is currently being done.

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Ajayi noted that most attacks on communities are carried out by bandits using motorbikes, and the failure of security forces to tackle them tends to vindicate Afenifere's postulation that the battle against terrorism and banditry has not been won.

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According to him, the battle has not been won due to the complicity of some unscrupulous people within the security service, powerful people in the community, and in government circles.

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Ajayi stated that it is difficult to believe that convoys of armed youths on motorbikes can evade the radar surveillance of security agencies, and that such groups can reach their targets and carry out their attacks successfully suggests complicity at the highest level.

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Afenifere also wants the government to investigate illegal mining activities, as indications are that illegal miners tend to move into some communities shortly after the residents were attacked, sent packing, and/or forced into captivity.

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There are also reports that jets have been seen supplying arms and food items to bandits in the jungles, which is a cause for concern, as jets cannot fly in Nigerian airspace without authorisation from the relevant government agencies.