Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba social and political group, is worried about the rise in kidnappings in Ondo, Kwara, Ogun, Osun, Niger, and Plateau States. They also condemn the reported attack on women who were at the gate of the Kwara State Government House on a Save Our Soul (SOS) mission.
Comrade Jare Ajayi, the organization’s national publicity secretary, said in a press release yesterday that people have an intrinsic right to bring their problems to the notice of governments as long as they do it in a peaceful way.
He said that the attack on Kasuwan Daji in Niger State on Saturday, like many others, “saddens our heart” because it happened at a time when terrorism was supposed to be under control.
According to him, reports say that some women and children from Oke-Ode, in the Ifelodun local government area of Kwara State, went to the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin to ask the state administration for help, as reported by Daily Independent.
Their requests were basically twofold: first, they asked the government to help them since they couldn’t raise the millions of Naira that the kidnappers wanted to free their husbands and children. To do things that would stop terrorists from attacking so often. According to reports, they were beaten by people who looked like thugs near the entrance of the Government House.
Afenifere spoke out against the attack on the protestors, especially since they weren’t carrying any deadly weapons.
“It’s interesting that Governor Abdulrasaq not only distanced himself from the sad event, but also told the police to “identify the attackers and bring them to justice.”
Afenifere asked why the people who did it weren’t caught and the women weren’t protected, even though it happened in broad daylight.
The Pan Yoruba socio-cultural and political group did not like the attacks that occured in the Kabba area of Kogi State. It also remembered that in December 2025, bandits attacked the farming community of Ayetoro-Kiri, hurting some people and taking others. Then, on the evening of December 26, terrorists attacked Adanla, a suburb of Igbaja in the Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state, and took nine people.
The group also talked about the attack on New Year’s Eve, when more than 20 suspected bandits bombed the Divisional Police Station, Ipele, in the Owo local government area of Ondo State, among other things.
The message went on to say, “Right now, it seems like the security approach is more reactive than proactive.” A close look at the pattern of these incidents shows that the assailants and their backers are determined to scare people and take over their places. It seems that security agencies are working very hard.
“But they are overwhelmed by not having the right tools, not having enough people, not having the skills that are needed right now, being complicit and betraying each other, not being able to gather intelligence at the community level, and targeting areas with mineral resources, among other things.
“To win this war, the strategy must include both kinetic and non-kinetic elements, such as sustained anticipation, intelligence, mapping, control, and deterrence.”
Still, Afenifere hoped that President Bola Tinubu’s promise to the country in his New Year’s speech for 2026 would come true.
“Among other things, the president had repeated his administration’s promise to protect the lives, property, and territorial integrity of our country.”
“Uncovering the sponsors of banditry, giving security personnel more power, and starting the state police will all help make the President’s promise come true.” Afenifere spoke person.
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