The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed grave concern over the recent wave of coordinated attacks across parts of Nigeria, including the killing of military personnel and civilians.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, the group cited the deadly assault on a military base in Benisheikh, Borno State, alongside incidents in Ondo State, Plateau State, Kwara State, Niger State, and Kaduna State, as evidence of worsening insecurity..
According to the group, the Benisheikh attack reportedly claimed the life of a senior military officer, while similar offensives targeted security formations in Pulka and Monguno. It also referenced a deadly raid on a poultry farm in Akure North Local Government Area, where a farmer and her daughter were killed and others abducted. Comparable incidents were reported in Bokkos area of Plateau and communities in Kwara and Niger states, suggesting a pattern of near-simultaneous attacks across multiple locations.
Afenifere further recalled recent security breaches, including the abduction of workers at the Cocoa Research Institute in Ibadan and attacks in Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa areas of Oyo State, noting that persistent violence in states such as Benue and Katsina has heightened national anxiety and prompted high-level interventions, including a visit by Bola Tinubu to affected areas.
The group attributed the escalating insecurity to factors such as alleged insider collaboration within security agencies, local informant networks aiding criminal groups, and possible external interests targeting Nigeria’s natural resources. It referenced earlier warnings by Babagana Zulum and Christopher Musa on the role of internal sabotage and intelligence leaks, urging authorities to strengthen internal accountability mechanisms.
Afenifere stressed the need for more proactive security responses, particularly through the deployment of drones, CCTV systems, and other surveillance tools to monitor and intercept armed groups often seen moving in motorcycle convoys. The group argued that while such movements are usually detectable, delayed or ineffective responses have allowed attackers to operate with little resistance.
It also called for a broader strategy that includes identifying and pressuring suspected sponsors of banditry to disarm their networks, drawing parallels with past disarmament efforts under former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The organisation concluded that without urgent reforms, improved intelligence use, and institutional self-assessment, efforts to curb insecurity may continue to fall short.
