Abduction Of Obalohun, Adeboyigi;Attacks In Middle Belt,Afenifere Expresses Concern… Lauds Tinubu On Forest Guards

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has expressed concern over the abduction of a prominent traditional ruler in Kogi State, 100 year-old Oba James Dada Ogunyanda Ilufemiloye, the Obalohun of Okoloke, Okoloke, Yagba West local government area of Kogi State.

The abduction took place last Thursday, right in the Oba’s palace.

The apex Yoruba organization also decried the abduction and eventual murder of a grassroots’ politician in Ifon, Ose local government area of Ondo State, Mr. Nelson Adegboyigi, who was abducted right in front of his house also last week.

To worsen matters, two gentlemen, Messrs. Bayode Loco and Isimeri, who took the five-million-naira ransom demanded by the kidnappers to them were also detained.

The bandits asked for N30 million before they could be released. Although the duo were released at the weekend, Adegboyigi was killed even after collecting N5 million and some food items.

In a statement by Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere stated that the Obalohun and Adegboyigi cases were not isolated incidence of terrorism and kidnapping “in view of what is going on in places like Benue, Plateau, Borno, Katsina, Nassarawa, Niger and Sokoto States among others”.

The statement recalled that in another part of Yoruba area of Kogi State, Odo-Ape in Kabba-Bunu local government area, bandits, last December, invaded the settlement around 1.00a.m – shooting sporadically before abducting eight people.

Just last week Wednesday, about ten people were reported killed in Werreng community, Plateau State after 40 cattles were allegedly killed in Darwat village in Riyom Local Government Area of the same state.

Afenifere commended President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for his renewed determination to put an end to the scourge of terrorism going by his recent order to service chiefs as well as his approval for the establishment of armed forest guards across the country as part of steps to reclaim Nigeria’s vast forestlands from criminal elements thus strengthening internal security.

“As part of the strategies to quicken action on putting an end to the menace of insecurity, the much-vaunted state police should be established without further delay. Incidentally, most of the state governors have now agreed that time is indeed ripe for state police to stem banditry and sundry criminal activities” Ajayi maintained.

An allusion was made to the decision of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern States Traditional Council which, penultimate Saturday, not only threw their weight behind the creation of state police, but also called on the National Assembly to expedite action for its immediate take-off.

The decision was taken at the meeting they held in Gombe and presided over by the State’s Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, who is also the NGF’s Chairman.

Submitting that insecurity seems to be intractable because of the alleged collaboration and sabotage by those who should fight the menace, Afenifere maintained that establishing state police and equipping the personnel as well as provision of needed equipment would contribute immensely to bringing the menace under control.

“The fact that a spike in banditry seems to coincide with the commencement of unofficial campaigns for 2027 presidential election raises a lot of questions. In the same vein, the apparent ease with which terrorists attack their targets, including military formations, is a big challenge for the government and top security echelons to do internal audit of their operational strategies and personnel”.

Afenifere also commended the National Assembly for passing the bill to upgrade the College of Agriculture in Kabba to a University of Agriculture and College of Health Sciences, Egbe, to University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

It then urged security agencies to enhance security in educational institutions in the country so as to guarantee a conducive atmosphere for teaching and research.

It would be recalled that the Upper Chamber, on May 15th, passed the bill for the University of Agriculture, Kabba that was sponsored by Senator Steve Sunday Karimi who is representing Kogi West Senatorial District.

The body appealed to President Tinubu to give his assent to the bills as soon as possible.