The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Monday expressed serious concern over the rising cases of kidnapping across the country, even as it frowned at the reported attack on women protesting at the gate of the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere maintained that citizens have an inalienable right to draw the attention of government to their plight, provided such actions are carried out peacefully.

Ajayi said the recent attack on Kasuwan Daji in Niger State, like many similar incidents across the country, “saddens our heart coming at a time when terrorism is expected to be tamed.”

Reports indicated that women and children from Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State had gathered at the Government House on a Save Our Soul (SOS) mission.

Their demands were twofold: to appeal to the state government for assistance, as they could not raise the millions of naira demanded by kidnappers for the release of their husbands and children, and to urge authorities to end the frequent terrorist attacks in their communities.

However, the protesters were reportedly flogged by suspected thugs near the entrance of the Government House. The Kwara State Police spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the incident and said it was under investigation, while Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq also condemned the attack.

Afenifere condemned the assault on the protesters, noting that they were unarmed and posed no threat.

The group also referenced a similar incident in Kabba, Kogi State, where residents reportedly gathered to protest incessant banditry in Kabba-Bunu axis and Okun-speaking areas.

In a statement, Mr David Ampitan, spokesman for Ayetoro-Kiri community in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, alleged that protesters were tear-gassed.

“It is both ironic and unacceptable that a government entrusted with the protection of lives and property would instead criminalise peaceful protest, while bandits roam freely, killing, kidnapping and terrorising law-abiding citizens,” Ampitan said, referring to a protest on the Kabba–Lokoja road.

Afenifere recalled several recent security incidents, including the December 2025 attack on Ayetoro-Kiri community, the abduction of nine persons in Adanla, a suburb of Igbaja in Kwara State, and the bombing of a police station in Ipele, Ondo State, on New Year’s Eve.

The organisation also cited the killing of the Olukoro of Koro-Ekiti, Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole, in February 2024, the abduction of a former Ogun State lawmaker, Honourable Moruf Musa, in December 2025, and the kidnapping of a former customs officer, Mr Emmanuel Owolabi, in Osun State.

According to Afenifere, areas such as the Benin–Owo–Ipele axis of Ondo State, as well as parts of Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Borno, Zamfara and Niger states, have become notorious for banditry and kidnapping.

“At the moment, it looks as if the security approach is reactive rather than proactive,” the group said, adding that attackers appear determined to instil fear and seize control of vulnerable areas.

“Critical studying of the pattern of these attacks tend to suggest a determination on the part of the attackers and their sponsors to instil fear in the people and to take control of their areas.

“Security agencies appear to be making a lot of efforts, but they are being overwhelmed by lack of necessary tools, enough manpower, paucity of skills that the present situation demands, internal complicity and betrayal, gaps in community-level intelligence gathering, targeting of mineral-resourced areas, among others.

“To win this war, the approach must be kinetic and non-kinetic, including sustained anticipation, intelligence, mapping, control and deterrence.”

Afenifere expressed hope that President Bola Tinubu’s assurance in his 2026 New Year message to protect “lives, property and territorial integrity of our country” would be realised.

“Unveiling sponsors of banditry, empowering security personnel and commencement of state police will go a long way in bringing the President’s avowal into fruition,” the group said. (The Guardian)

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