By Adeola Badru
Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed grave concern over persistent terrorist assaults in states bordering the South-West, warning that the event is heightening fears of a full-scale incursion into Yorubaland.
In a press release issued by its Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, the organisation mentioned repeated assaults in Kwara, Kogi and Niger states, alongside current kidnappings in Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo states, introduced a deeply troubling safety trajectory.
Afenifere recalled that closely armed bandits who invaded Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Native Authorities Space of Kwara State penultimate week reportedly killed almost 200 individuals and kidnapped a number of others.
In the identical week, the organisation recalled that bandits launched additional assaults in neighbouring Kogi and Edo states and in Niger, Benue, Plateau, Kaduna and Katsina states.
Afenifere said: “It is a very disturbing growth as circumstances of abduction appear to be on the rise in Yorubaland. Incidents that occurred in locations like Ondo, Ibadan, Kaduna and so forth., occurred within the metropolis. That means that terror acts are now not confined to rustic settings the place authorities presence is skinny, if in any respect.”
The organisation famous that the kidnapping of the schoolgirl in Ibadan occurred in broad daylight, as her mom was dropping her off in school within the Problem space, located on the higher finish of Ring Highway on the Lagos-bound axis of town.
Ajayi, nevertheless, known as on the governors of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Lagos states, in addition to their counterparts in Kwara, Kogi, Edo and Delta states, to urgently put in place sturdy safety preparations that will allow residents to “sleep with their two eyes closed.”
He recalled that the six South-West governors, at their assembly in Ibadan on November 24, 2025, resolved to strengthen regional safety.
Among the many measures proposed had been the institution of a South-West Safety Fund, SWSF, and the creation of monitoring centres to trace potential terrorist exercise. Ajayi additionally famous that the Ogun State authorities lately inaugurated closed-circuit tv (CCTV) monitoring centres in furtherance of this goal.
The Afenifere spokesman maintained that the persistence of banditry and terrorism can’t be attributed to a scarcity of intelligence.
“It’s nevertheless not debatable that banditry and terrorism are persevering with not as a result of there isn’t a data on or about bandits and terrorists. Terrorism is changing into pervasive as a result of even the data accessible isn’t being processed and used within the curiosity of the individuals. Moderately, it, in lots of circumstances, even serves the curiosity of those that are clearly ‘the enemies of the individuals!”
Citing particular situations, Ajayi referred to the testimony of the pinnacle of Woro village in Kaiama, Kwara State, Alhaji Umar Bio Salihu, who reportedly disclosed {that a} letter warning of impending assault had been written and forwarded to greater authorities earlier than his village was attacked, but the assault nonetheless occurred.
Ajayi mentioned: “The issue due to this fact isn’t lack of awareness, however the will to make use of the data within the curiosity of the individuals. State police ought to take off instantly whereas communities must also be enabled to have native safety preparations. It’s excessive time governors in Yorubaland went past sermonisation and swing into decisive actions that can actually make the area a really safe place.”
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