Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
A pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, has called on President Bola Tinubu to issue a presidential order proclaiming multi-level police as part of measures to check the heightening insecurity in the country.
It added that modern security technologies must also be acquired and deployed to various parts of the country without further delay.
Afenifere, in a statement, yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, said the call became imperative following the terror acts unleashed on Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Borno, Sokoto, Niger, Ondo, Katsina, Rivers States lately.
It said the need to tame the monster was compelling as unchecked terrorism in any part of the country was putting pressures on other parts of the country hitherto considered as safe.
Afenifere said being an organisation with empathy, it had always felt the pains of those who were at the receiving end irrespective of where they are from.
The group recalled that about 200 people were reportedly killed on Christmas eve in three local government areas of Plateau State, while over 10,000 were rendered homeless.
It said on the same Christmas eve, 12 people were reportedly killed by suspected gunmen in Kurya village, Rabbah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
This, it noted, was in addition to some killings and kidnappings that took place in the same state earlier in December, 2023, saying that of Borno was typified by repeated assaults in Chibok.
Afenifere stressed that towards the end of December 2023, detachments of security agencies were in Igbeti and Sepeteri, Oke-Ogun, Oyo State to thwart the plan by suspected bandits to unleash terror in the area.
It emphasised that people of Akoko and Igbara Oke in Ondo State were afraid of armed herdsmen, just as residents of some parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, were now living in fear of kidnappers.
Afenifere added that Rivers State Police Command confirmed the kidnapping of some travelers last Wednesday along Obiri-Ikwerre – Airport Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state by some gunmen.
Afenifere, therefore, called on Tinubu to “First identify areas that have mineral resources as those areas appear to be targets of those who want to take over the land and/or exploit the resources beneath the lands.
“After identifying those areas, government should ensure that the presence of Ministry of Solid Mineral Resources and security agencies is felt in a manner that the resources would be mined to enhance the socio-economic conditions of the people.”
