By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukeu
As Nigeria continues to grapple with worsening insecurity, the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has urged the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to urgently develop a comprehensive security strategy in collaboration with state governors to hunt down bandits, kidnappers, and other violent actors across the country particularly in the Southwest.
The group made this call on Monday in a communiqué issued after its caucus meeting held at the Akure residence of its elder statesman and leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti. The statement, signed by Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, lamented the resurgence of violent crimes in Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Lagos, Ekiti, and Oyo states.
“Afenifere again called on the Federal Government and Security Agencies to redesign the nation’s security architecture. Those in charge must dig deeper into the causes of insecurity and deal with them decisively,” the group said.
It stressed that the NSA, in particular, must work closely with governors to map out and execute region-specific strategies to stem the tide of terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping.
Beyond federal interventions, Afenifere also tasked Southwest governors to expand and empower the Amotekun Corps, the region’s local security outfit.
According to the group, the corps should be properly trained, motivated, and equipped with modern technology like drones and surveillance tools.
“We need state police, and we must support Amotekun with the resources it needs. The threat is real, and the people must be protected,” the communiqué emphasized.
The group cited other flashpoints beyond the Southwest—including Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Anambra, Edo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Niger—as areas where banditry and kidnapping have grown rampant.
Afenifere also commended the Federal Government for championing local government autonomy but cautioned that citizens at the grassroots must monitor how allocations are spent.
“Now that local governments are to receive their monthly allocations directly, governors must cooperate fully. Transparency and accountability at the local level is essential,” it noted.
In its recommendations, Afenifere also called for firm action against violent herders and their sponsors. It called on state governors to identify and prosecute those responsible for terrorising rural farmers, noting that unchecked herder-farmer conflicts are hurting agricultural output.
“Agriculture is vital to national survival. States must return to the drawing board, revisit old farm settlement policies, and empower local governments to set up functional farms,” the group advised, adding that subsidised inputs and food distribution could ease the pressure of inflation.
On culture and education, Afenifere reaffirmed its call for the use of the Yoruba language as a medium of instruction from kindergarten to junior secondary levels in Yoruba-speaking states. It also encouraged legislative houses to conduct business in Yoruba where possible.
Finally, the group reiterated its long-standing call for the restructuring of Nigeria’s federal system and urged President Bola Tinubu to lead the charge for true federalism.
“President Tinubu has always stood for democratic ideals and federalism. Now is the time to make restructuring a reality,” the statement concluded.