In a situation that unfolded just 11 days ago, gunmen viciously took the lives of 17 soldiers and six policemen separately in Delta State. This appalling incident has raised alarms for the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organization, Afenifere.
These security personnel fell victim to ambushes by unidentified assailants in the state, resulting in a devastating toll of 23 lives lost.
In a posthumous acknowledgment, President Bola Tinubu commended the bravery of the soldiers and pledged to cover the educational expenses of the deceased military members’ children.
Afenifere, through a statement endorsed by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, expressed gratitude for the President’s gesture. The organization also highlighted that banditry has continued to thrive and evolve due to six key factors.
Ajayi outlined these factors as follows: “People’s behavior, involvement, tactics of security agencies, the capabilities of security forces, legal procedures, and the necessary political determination to decisively confront this challenge.”
Expounding on the aforementioned points, Afenifere remarked, “Due to dwindling communal solidarity among ordinary Nigerians, many no longer feel obligated to report incidents of banditry to the appropriate authorities for swift intervention.”
Furthermore, the organization noted, “An alarming number now view kidnapping as a profitable enterprise from which substantial illicit gains are made. Their greed for the exorbitant proceeds from this criminal activity has blinded them to the immense harm inflicted on society and even the peril to their own lives.”
Afenifere urged the government to address issues hinted at by the Chief of Defense Staff in a recent interview with an international media outlet.
The organization stressed the dual imperative of bolstering the numerical strength of security personnel to effectively cover all vulnerable areas and ensuring the provision of essential equipment.
Ajayi underscored the urgency of expediting the establishment of state police forces, enabling local populations to be safeguarded by their own communities.
Calling for immediate executive action, Ajayi stated, “We implore President Tinubu to issue a Presidential Directive for the prompt establishment of State and Local Government Police, followed by presenting an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for this purpose.”
In culmination, the organization voiced its full support for President Bola Tinubu’s directive to convene stakeholders’ meetings, as communicated by Senator Lawal Usman (Kaduna Central Senatorial District) following his audience with the President in response to the recent abduction of Kuriga school students.