The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has raised the alarm over the rising incidents of kidnappings in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and other parts of South West and Nigeria.
In a statement at the weekend by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere enjoined the Federal Government to urgently address the ‘political, economic and ideological factors’ identified by the Spokesperson of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Peter Afunaya, as being responsible for recurrent incidences of kidnapping and banditry.
Afenifere was speaking on the backdrop of recent violence including armed robbers attacks on two commercial banks in Ikere, Ekiti State on Wednesday last week which led to the death of three Amotekun security personnel.
On November 29, 2023, Mr Taiwo Oyekanmi, a Director of Finance, Ogun State Government House was similarly murdered in Abeokuta by armed robbers who went away with millions of naira meant for government workers.
In the same vein, seven people were kidnapped while one person was killed on Monday at Fidiwo on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Added to this was the kidnap of Miracle Adereti Kolawole, a 13-year-old student by an unknown gang while returning home from school on Friday, December 1st, 2023 in Ikotun area of Lagos as confirmed by Afonka Police Station in Egbeda, Alimosho, Lagos.
And towards the end of October, sundry abductions took place in Ikotun, Okota, Ejigbo, Alimosho, Egbeda, Agege, Amuwo Odofin areas of Lagos according to published reports.
The Afenifere Spokesperson, Ajayi, stated that the Ikere-Ekiti banks robbery, like other banditry, was condemnable as it probably would not have happened if necessary security steps had been taken.
According to the group: “To use the Ikere Ekiti incident as an example, the disclosure by Mr. Femi Ekundayo, national president of Ikere Development Forum (IDF) that the State and the Federal Government left the whole of Ikere local government area without any functional police station since arsonists burnt down the two divisional police stations in the town during the #ENDSARS protest in 2020 has not been refuted.
“This was largely responsible for how the gang could operate at the two banks in broad daylight without being challenged.”
“He went on to state that after the kidnap incidents on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in 2022 where former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Adigun Agbaje among others were victims, governors of Ogun and Oyo States including security agencies assured citizens that the highway would be secured.
“It is therefore a matter of serious concern that a few weeks into the yuletide period, commuters on the highway have to travel with trepidation for fear of being attacked.”