Afenifere urges South-West governors to tackle banditry head-on

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, has called on South-West governors to take decisive and urgent steps to address the growing threat of banditry in the region.

This followed recent revelations about bandits infiltrating the South-West, particularly Oyo State, following their displacement from the North-West.

Afenifere made the call in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, on Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, had last week warned of the bandit threat during the 2025 annual inter-faith service for workers held in Ibadan earlier in the week.

He said: “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.”

To emphasize the gravity of the situation, the governor recounted a personal encounter during his birthday retreat in Fashola, near Oyo Alaafin, last month.

“During my birthday retreat in Fashola, bandits had camped less than two kilometres from where I was staying. This underscores the seriousness of the situation,” Makinde said.

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Afenifere underscored the urgency of the matter, stating that such a revelation from the Chief Security Officer of a state should not be taken lightly. The organization urged all South-West governors to convene a meeting to devise comprehensive strategies to eliminate bandit threats in the region.

“The governors must, as a matter of urgency, map out strategies to expel the bandits from the region and ensure such elements do not infiltrate Yorubaland again,” the statement read.

Afenifere emphasized the importance of involving various stakeholders in the security effort, including security agencies, traditional rulers, and local vigilantes known as ‘Ode.’

Ajayi outlined key measures that should be implemented to combat the threat effectively. These include:
– Providing functional and up-to-date equipment for security personnel.
– Offering attractive incentives to motivate field operatives.
– Deploying modern technologies to identify and locate bandit hideouts.

He also stressed the need for vigilance among traditional rulers and community leaders, urging them to report any suspicious activities that could pose a security threat.

“For instance, until the governor made the revelation on Monday, such grave security danger was unknown to members of the public. Yet, there are people living in the Fashola area where the bandits were reported to have established a camp,” Ajayi noted.

Afenifere warned that similar bandit camps might exist in other parts of the South-West, necessitating immediate and sustained action.

“The situation requires urgent and effective measures to ensure the safety and security of lives and property in the region,” the organization concluded.

With this call to action, Afenifere has placed the spotlight on the need for proactive governance and community collaboration to safeguard the South-West from escalating insecurity.

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