Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has raised alarm over what it described as war on Nigerians by terror groups operating in the country in the guise of bandits, herdsmen, and even Okada riders.
The group said the Buhari administration was solely responsible for the insecurity in the country by either deliberately allowing illegals into the country through the northern borders, or turning a blind eye to the atrocities being committed by these terrorists.
The group said it is embarrassing that these terror groups which the Buhari government failed to recognize as such, have been so emboldened that they attack military formations including the recent attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, without anything happening to them.
Earlier in the week, ISWAP overwhelmed and dislodged troops in Rann, the headquarters town of Kala Balge LGA of Borno state.
Sources within the area said most of the civilians ran into the bushes to seek safety, while some international and local humanitarian workers stationed in the town were reportedly trapped. Others were said to have found their way through the bush and moved towards the Cameroon border.
According to Afenifere, the same is the case in the southwest as the spate of terrorism and related vices, including kidnapping, has forced citizens in places like Yewa, Ogun State, Oke Ogun in Oyo State, to relocate to the Benin Republic and other West African countries.
The group therefore, in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting held at the house of its Acting Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, in Ijebu- Ode, Ogun State, said the Buhari government must act against these escalating security challenges before its too late.
“In view of the fact that Nigeria nation is fast moving into the precipice, there is the need by the Federal Government to urgently put a halt to various acts of terrorism, kidnapping, herders/farmers clashes and the like. This, the government can do by immediately allowing states to have their own police. In fact, the security apparatus should be democratised down to the local level.
“Afenifere again reiterated its position that restructuring remains the panacea to solve the various problems bedevilling the country now. And we insist that this restructuring should be done before the next elections in the country,” the communiqué said.
Afenifere noted with serious concern the unprecedented security problems, which it said was accentuated by the influx of people even from outside Nigeria, calling on the Federal Government and security agencies “to put a halt to the unbridled influx of people with questionable intention.”
On anti-grazing laws, Afenifere expressed its strong support for the Southern governors in their resolution to have the law in place, just as it commended them for the establishment of security networks like Amotekun, urging them to continue to forge ahead.
The socio-political group, however, charged every community to be at alert to realise that they must defend themselves from bandits who seemed to have declared war on Nigeria.
“It is a known fact that Afenifere strongly stands by the Southern governors in their resolution on anti-grazing laws. We commend the steps taken by governors of the South West on the establishment of security networks like Amotekun. We urge them to continue to forge ahead.
“In the meantime, every community must be at alert to realise that they must defend themselves from bandits who seem to have declared war on Nigeria,” Afenifere said.