The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political group, Afenifere, has called on South-West governors to urgently bolster security measures in the region following reports of an influx of bandits.
The appeal came through a statement by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, in response to a recent alarm raised by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde. The governor had disclosed during the 2025 annual inter-faith service for workers at the Secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan, that bandits fleeing military pressure in the North-West were relocating to Oyo State.
Makinde, while addressing the gathering, stated, “During a security briefing this morning, I learned that some bad elements from the North-West are relocating here due to military heat in their zones.”
Reacting to the governor’s warning, Afenifere emphasized that such information, coming from a state’s Chief Security Officer, should not be taken lightly. The group called on all South-West governors to urgently convene a meeting to devise strategies to expel the infiltrators and prevent further encroachments into Yorubaland.
The organization stressed the importance of involving key stakeholders in addressing the security challenge. According to the statement, these stakeholders include security agencies responsible for implementing decisions, traditional rulers, and local vigilante groups known as “Ode.”
Afenifere also advocated for the provision of modern, functional equipment for security operatives, attractive incentives for those on the ground, and the deployment of advanced technologies to detect bandits and their hideouts.
The group urged security agencies and citizens alike to remain vigilant, adding that traditional rulers and community leaders should promptly raise alarms over any signs of security threats.
“For instance, until the governor made his revelation on Monday, such a significant security threat was unknown to the public, despite the fact that the bandits were reported to have established a camp in the Fashola area. It is not unlikely that similar camps exist in other parts of the South-West, which underscores the need for urgent and decisive action,” the statement concluded.
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