Afenifere gave the warning on Monday while expressing concern over the rising insecurity, frequency of kidnappings in the South-West, especially on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in recent times.
Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has warned the Nigerian government against plunging the country into a state of extreme insecurity and terrorism.
Afenifere gave the warning on Monday while expressing concern over the rising insecurity, frequency of kidnappings in the South-West, especially on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in recent times.
The organisation in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, stated that the Muhammadu Buhari-led government was focused on the 2023 general elections instead of taming the monster of terrorists and kidnappers, disturbing the South-West region.
It recalled the kid¬nappings near Dominion University and Sagamu In¬terchange on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the past weeks. Victims of the kidnappings included the former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Adigun Agbaje, and five others, where Agbaje was released after pay¬ment of a ransom running into millions of naira.
Afenifere noted that reports had it that suspect¬ed Fulani bandits attacked travellers on October 27 and abducted five persons, killed several others, and two days after, on October 29, sev¬en bandits in Irele Ekiti-Oke Ako Highway in Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Ekiti State, abducted four travellers.
Afenifere stated that one of the sur¬vivors of the Lagos-Ibadan Ex¬pressway kidnapping, 22-year-old Aminat Taiwo, said that the kidnappers were more than 30 and had their faces covered. They were putting on army and police uniforms, while the victims whose relatives couldn’t pay ransoms were shot.
Afenifere said, “In the last two years, incidents of kidnapping occurred in the South-West. But the menace had become more pronounced in recent times. For instance, between January and October, this year, several kidnappings have taken place on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as well as on Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin Ex¬pressway with some captives losing their lives even after ransoms were paid.
“Does it mean that Nigeria is becoming or has become a country where head or tail, the citizens are now at the mercy of terrorists? The government and our security agencies need to brace up.”
Furthermore, Afenifere stated that “At the beginning, those committing banditry on our land were regarded as foreign maraud¬ers from the North and from neighbouring countries. The banditry has now transformed into terrorism, kidnapping, etc due to the collaboration of insiders.
“The primary duty of any government is the security of lives and property, ensuring good welfare for the people. Unfortunately, governments have failed woefully in both respects – especially the for¬mer – going by how our re¬gions are now brimming with criminals of various hues, including Fulani herders who destroy farms, kidnap, rape, and kill. Movement from one area to another is now done with palpable fear and uncer¬tainty.”
“Regrettably, rather than confronting this monster headlong, those at the helm of affairs are acting as if they were helpless with a lot of energy concentrated on the 2023 elections,” it added.
The organisation also appealed to the South-West governments to turn Amotekun into a strong re¬gional outfit to protect the region, saying that “The governors should col¬lectively approach President Muhammadu Buhari along with the vice president to let them save their people from being enslaved by bandits. Drones and relevant security equipment must be purchased and deplored to quickly snuff life out of the monster that is threatening to consume us.”