Afenifere Challenges South-west Governors to Take Urgent Action against Terrorism

• NADECO USA urges Tinubu to declare emergency rule in northern states

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Afenifere, yesterday, decried the upsurge in terror attacks in parts of Yorubaland and other parts of Nigeria, urging state governors from the South-west geopolitical zone to take urgent actions.

That was as a pro-democracy organisation based in the United States, National Democratic Coalition (NADECO USA), urged President Bola Tinubu to declare six months emergency rule in some states of the north held by insurgents and terrorists, stating that the 2027 elections cannot be conducted in the face of insecurity.

Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, decried the recent killing of some Forest Guards at Old Oyo National Park in Oloka, Oriire Local Government Area, and the killing of four farmers in Igboho, Oorelope Local Government Area, both in Oyo State.

It further condemned the abduction of a nursing mother and her child in Supare/Ajegunle in Akoko South Local government Area of Ondo State, the apprehension of some bandits in Ondo who were alleged to have fled Sokoto in the wake of America’s bombardment of their hideouts, and the burning down of a police station in Ipele, also in Ondo State.

Afenifere challenged the South-west governors to put life to the resolution they made when they met in Ibadan on November 24, 2025 on the security of the region.

South-west governors had resolved to, among others, set up South West Security Fund (SWSF) that would institute a “Joint Security Intelligence Sharing and Communication Platform” for the purpose of exchanging threat notifications, incident logs, traveller and cargo alerts, and coordinate state-to-state rapid response.

Ajayi urged the governors to quickly actualise the arrangement and jointly acquire necessary facilities to secure the region.

“Kwara and Kogi states, including Edo and Delta states, can be brought into the loop in view of insecurity linkage with these states,” Ajayi said.

Afenifere said strategies to be mapped out should include concrete re-orientation on the need to place greater value on life, de-radicalisation, debriefing of youths who had been negatively indoctrinated, restructuring the security architecture, appropriate training of security personnel, motivation and empowerment of the personnel, including the provision of modern security equipment as well as the immediate take-off of state police.

Ajayi added that in view of the need to tinker with the Nigerian constitution to have state police, a presidential order could be made to have various levels of the existing police structure at state and community levels to be peopled by indigenes or inhabitants of the given areas.

On his part, President and Chief Executive Officer of NADECO USA, Lloyd Ukwu, while addressing issues concerning the peace of the country, said the Nigerian democracy was at risk if nothing was done to contain the activities of terrorists in the north before the 2027 elections.

Ukwu stated, “Why Nigerians are gearing up for the 2027 elections, it is important to recognise that free, fair and credible elections cannot occur if terrorists are occupying parts of northern Nigeria. How and where would these individuals cast their votes?

“The issue must be resolved before 2027 elections. Nigeria often prioritise the wrong issues. Why are we discussing 2027 elections when we are unable or unwilling to secure the lives and property of its citi-zens.”

Ukwu tasked the president to consider emergency rule in states where bandits and insurgent were holding down, adding that issues of insecurity must be resolved before the 2027 elections.

He stressed , “Considering the ongoing crises in northern Nigeria, which includes attacks from insurgent groups and bandits, the president may want to consider declaring a six months state of emergency in the affected northern states or all 19 northern states.

“This would grant the federal government the extraordinary power to coordinate security operations. As part of this strategy the administration would formally request that the United States deploy a limited contingent of special operations forces to assist Nigerian troops.”