Afenifere insecurity Yorubaland warning as group raises concern over kidnappings, killings and attacks across Nigeria

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed deep concern over escalating insecurity across Yorubaland and other parts of Nigeria, citing a surge in kidnappings, killings and coordinated attacks on communities.

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In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, the group described the trend as alarming, warning that criminal activities are becoming more frequent and brazen.

The Afenifere insecurity Yorubaland warning highlighted recent incidents including the kidnapping of a trader in Ibadan, abduction of staff of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company along the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road, and attacks on families in Ondo and Ekiti states.

The group also referenced killings of farmers in Tede and Ago-Are, as well as the murder of military police personnel in Kwara State. It further raised concerns over raids on orphanages, religious centres, markets and households.

“Before now, reports of incidents of this nature used to be from other climes. But these days, the horrendous incidents are also occurring in Yorubaland,” the statement said.

Beyond the South-West, Afenifere pointed to similar patterns of violence in Plateau, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory, describing the situation as a national security crisis.

The group also drew attention to the growing vulnerability of members of the National Youth Service Corps, citing cases of abduction involving prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps.

It urged the Federal Government to consider modifying the scheme to allow participants serve within their states of residence to reduce exposure to security risks.

On strategies to address the crisis, Afenifere advocated the adoption of broader non-kinetic approaches alongside security operations, emphasising intelligence gathering and community-based interventions.

Ajayi also raised concerns about possible complicity within security structures and local communities, suggesting that the ability of armed groups to operate freely points to systemic weaknesses.

The group noted that many attacks are carried out by armed men on motorcycles, questioning how such movements evade detection by security agencies.

It further called for increased scrutiny of illegal mining activities, alleging that some operators move into communities shortly after residents have been displaced by violence.

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The Afenifere insecurity Yorubaland alert underscores growing anxiety over safety and stability, as stakeholders continue to call for more decisive and coordinated action to curb the wave of violence across the country.