The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has decried the rising wave of terrorist attacks in the South-West, urging federal and state governments to intensify efforts to curb banditry and restore security in the region.
The group expressed concern over what it described as the increasing loss of lives and growing insecurity across several states, warning that the situation has reached an alarming level.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere said Yoruba communities were increasingly disturbed by the frequency of violent attacks, kidnappings and killings occurring in the region.
Ajayi lamented the harsh treatment of kidnap victims, saying abductees were often subjected to severe beatings and degrading conditions while in captivity.
He cited several incidents recorded in different parts of the South-West, including attacks on churches, police stations, residential homes and highways in Ondo State.
He also referenced communities displaced by bandits in Kwara State, the killing of farmers and attacks on motorists along the Igbeti-Kisi road in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, as well as cases of brutal kidnappings in Ekiti State where victims were allegedly murdered and their bodies kept while ransom was demanded.
Ajayi disclosed that kidnappers had recently made disturbing demands while negotiating ransom for their captives.
According to him, the criminals demanded N1.5m, Indian hemp, cocaine, a synthetic drug known as ice, and cartons of canned beer before releasing the body of a deceased victim.
He further revealed that the abductors also demanded virgins as part of the conditions for freeing four men earlier kidnapped.
The Afenifere spokesman warned that homes could no longer be considered safe, citing recent attacks on residents.
He recounted an incident in Akure, Ondo State, where a couple was reportedly attacked in front of their residence, with the husband shot while trying to prevent the abduction of his wife.
Ajayi also mentioned other violent incidents across the country, including the abduction of the father of a former Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State on his way to church on March 1.
In another case, he said a family of five was kidnapped in Erinmope-Ekiti at about 7pm while residents were at the mosque for evening prayers.
He added that suspected bandits had recently moved from house to house in Kubwa, Abuja, robbing residents and abducting several victims.
The Afenifere spokesperson noted that similar attacks had been reported in several other states, including Kwara, Plateau, Benue, Borno, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Katsina and Kaduna, while returning refugees from Cameroon were also reportedly targeted in Bauchi State.
Ajayi also narrated an incident in Edo State involving a kidnapped medical doctor who later recognised his abductors when one of them brought his sick daughter to the hospital for treatment.
He said the doctor alerted the police after identifying the suspects, which eventually led to their arrest.
According to Ajayi, the incident underscored the contradiction in the actions of the criminals, noting that while the kidnapper sought medical care for his child, he had no hesitation in harming others.
Speaking on the broader security situation, Ajayi insisted that bandits were not invincible and could be defeated with coordinated action.
He called for decisive measures to cut off the sources of funding for criminal groups, which he said included wealthy collaborators, local and international sponsors, some state actors, as well as ransom payments and other illegal activities.
The Afenifere spokesman also stressed the need to track and prosecute sponsors of banditry, block their access to weapons and funding, dismantle their hideouts in forests, and address corruption and sabotage within the security agencies.
He further urged authorities to motivate security personnel and ensure the prompt establishment of state police across the country.
The group commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the creation of state police and urging the National Assembly to accelerate the constitutional amendment required for its implementation.
It also praised the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for setting up a committee to develop a framework for the deployment of state police.
Afenifere, however, urged South-West governors to intensify security measures by identifying and dismantling bandits’ hideouts, maintaining constant surveillance in vulnerable communities and working closely with the Federal Government to ensure the swift take-off of state policing in the region.