By Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
THE pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has raised serious concerns over Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, alleging that powerful cabals and saboteurs in high places are deliberately undermining efforts to curb banditry, kidnapping and terrorism across the country.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere lamented that successive attempts to address Nigeria’s security challenges have largely failed because those entrusted with implementing solutions are, in many cases, the same individuals sabotaging them.
According to the organisation, the persistent failure of government policies across critical sectors such as electricity, water, education, agriculture, the economy and security can be traced to “corruptive tendencies of some cabals in high places who deliberately frustrate efforts aimed at sanitising the system and improving the well-being of the people.”
Afenifere noted that incidents of kidnapping, cattle rustling, banditry, terrorism and what it described as genocidal and territorial expansionist attacks, which were once largely confined to the North-East and North-West, have now spread to other parts of the country.
The group expressed particular concern over the infiltration of such criminal activities into Yorubaland, previously regarded as relatively safe. It cited increasing cases of abductions and killings in parts of Kogi, Kwara, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states, as well as Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa areas of Oyo State, with Yewa and Ijebu Waterside areas of Ogun State also affected.
“Afenifere, like many well-meaning Nigerians, is deeply troubled by this menace,” Ajayi said, noting that ordinary citizens now prioritise personal safety over livelihood due to the prevailing climate of fear.
He further recalled instances where developmental efforts were allegedly sabotaged, citing the late Chief Bola Ige’s tenure as Minister of Power, the repeated failure of refinery turnaround maintenance projects, the deterioration of roads despite yearly budgetary allocations, and rising insecurity despite huge defence and security spending.
“These examples raise a fundamental question: where do the monies go?” Ajayi asked.
On insecurity, Afenifere maintained that the crisis would have been curtailed long ago but for the complicity of influential individuals, including leaders who oppose decisive action against bandits, advocate negotiation instead of prosecution, or reward terrorists with amnesty and incentives.
The organisation also warned that some attacks are driven by attempts to displace communities from their ancestral lands through killings, abductions and the imposition of illegal levies.
To address the crisis, Afenifere called for comprehensive reorientation programmes, debriefing and de-radicalisation of indoctrinated youths, restructuring of Nigeria’s security architecture, effective monitoring of ungoverned spaces, improved training and motivation of security personnel, and the deployment of modern equipment.
It also reiterated its long-standing call for the immediate establishment of state police, suggesting that pending constitutional amendments, a presidential order could decentralise policing to allow state and community-level structures staffed by local indigenes.
Ajayi further stressed the need to strengthen intelligence gathering, efficiently utilise intelligence reports, sanitise the security agencies to root out saboteurs, and dismantle entrenched cabals.
He concluded by urging communities to remain vigilant, expose internal collaborators, uphold the sanctity of human life, and support security agencies, while advocating urgent steps towards restructuring the country to address its deep-seated challenges.
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