Equip Amotekun Against Kidnapping, Banditry, Terrorism, Afenifere Tells S-West Govts

Starrys Obazei/November 15, 2022.

Afenifere, the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, has called on the South-West governments to equip the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Operation Amotekun, into a strong regional outfit to protect the region from the incessant attacks by the kidnappers.

Afenifere also urged the governors to collectively approach the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), along with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to let them save their people from being enslaved by bandits.

In a statement by Comrade Jare Ajayi, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, the group said the spate of kidnappings in the area these days was causing so much concern about the territorial expansion of terrorists.

Many travelers were kidnapped on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the past weeks and were later released after payment of ransoms running into millions of naira.

The statement stated, “Drones and relevant security equipment must be purchased and deplored to quickly snuff life out of the monster that is threatening to consume us.

“Everything must be done to ensure that normalcy returns and that Nigeria does not become another region where terrorists hold sway. South-West governors should do more.”

It added that available reports had it that, “Suspected Fulani bandits attacked travelers on October 27, 2022, abducting five persons and killing several others. Two days after, on October 29, seven bandits in Irele Ekiti-Oke Ako Highway in Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Ekiti State, abducted four travelers.

“One of the survivors of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway kidnapping, 22-year -old Aminat Taiwo, said that the ‘kidnappers were more than 30; they covered their faces. They were putting on army and police uniforms.’ She later added that they shot victims whose relatives could not pay the demanded ransoms.

“On Tuesday, November 8 this year, gunmen dressed in military uniforms again attacked commuters traveling on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The gunmen reportedly stormed the road near Sagamu Interchange, Lagos, and started shooting at passengers in the 18-passenger inter-state bus.”

The group lamented that rather than confronting this monster headlong, those at the helm of affairs were acting as if they were helpless with a lot of energy concentrated on the 2023 elections.