.decries attack on protesting women in Kwara,
.suggests the way out
By Our Reporter
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has expressed serious concern over the surge in kidnapping incidents across the country, just as it frowns at the reported attack on women who were at the gate of the Kwara State Government House on a Save Our Soul (SOS) mission.
A statement by the organisation’s spokesperson, Comrade Jare Ajayi, expressed these worries, maintaining that citizens have an inalienable right to call the attention of government to their plight so long as such was done in a peaceful manner.
Ajayi added that the Saturday attack on Kasuwan Daji in Niger State, like many other similar attacks saddens the organization's "heart coming at a time when terrorism is expected to be tamed."
This was just as he recalled that reports have it that some women and children from Oke-Ode, in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State went to the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin, the state capital to plead that the state government come to their rescue, but were reportedly flogged by perceived thugs near the entrance of the Government House, describing such as attacks on protesters as uncalled for "on protesters or group calling attention to their plight, especially since they were not seen with any dangerous weapon."
"Reports have it that some women and children from Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State went to the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin, the state capital, to plead that the state government come to their rescue.
"Their plea was basically two-pronged: first, to ask the government to come to their aid as they could not raise millions of Naira being demanded by kidnappers for their kidnapped husbands and children to be released. Second, to take steps that would put an end to the frequent attacks by terrorists. But they were reportedly flogged by perceived thugs near the entrance of the Government House.
"The State Police Spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the incident and said that it is being investigated. The state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has also condemned the incident.
"Reports also indicated that a similar thing occurred in Kabba where some people gathered to express their displeasure over the incessant banditry in Kabba-Bunu axis and Okun speaking area of Kogi State.
"Afenifere condemned the attack on protesters or group calling attention to their plight, especially since they were not seen with any dangerous weapon.
“It is noteworthy that Governor Abdulrasaq has not only distanced himself from the unfortunate incident but went further to call on the police to ‘find the attackers and bring them to account’.
"The incident occurred in broad daylight in front of the Government House that certainly has security personnel. And it lasted for a while. What baffles the mind here is that for the whole of the period of the incident, the women could not be protected and their attackers apprehended.
"Would the situation have been the same were the attackers to come with ammunitions to wreck havoc on the Government House? For the attackers not to have been arrested raises a lot of questions," Afenifere submitted.
Speaking further, Afenifere spokesperson, Comrade Ajayi further recalled that Mr. David Ampitan, spokesman for Ayetoro-Kiri community in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, had, in a statement, asserted that those protesting incessant kidnaps in their area were tear-gassed.
According to Ajayi, Ampitan, while speaking on the alleged attack on the people who on Friday, gathered on Kabba-Lokoja road to show their displeasure over incessant banditry in their area, pointedly said: "It was both ironic and unacceptable that a government entrusted with the protection of lives and property would instead criminalize preaceful protest, while bandits roam freely, killing, kidnapping and terrorizing law-abiding citizens."
This was just as the Afenifere spokesperson again recalled that in the middle of December, 2025, the farming community of Ayetoro-Kiri was besieged by bandits who harmed some people and abducted others.
"In the evening of December 26, terrorists invaded Adanla, a suburb of Igbaja in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State and abducted nine people.
"On New Year’s Eve, over 20 suspected bandits bombed the Divisional Police Station, Ipele in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State at about 9.4 pm according to reports.
"In 2022, Catholic Church, Owo in the same Ondo State, was attacked with several people losing their lives while many were injured," he stated.
"It would be recalled that in February 2024, Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole, Olukoro of Koro-Ekiti in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State was killed right in his palace because he resisted being kidnapped. His wife and others were abducted.
"On Tuesday, December 30, 2025, a former Member of Ogun State House of Assembly, Honourable Moruf Musa, was reportedly abducted while praying in a mosque in Ibiade as confirmed by, among others, chairman of Ogun Waterside Local Government Council, Honourable Ganiyu Odunoiki. Musa represented Waterside State Consituency in the State Assembly.
"In the middle of December, a former Customs officer, Mr. Emmanuel Owolabi, was kidnapped right in his residence in Ora Igbomina in Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State. Some people lost their lives in the process. The attackers also moved to Oteere/Ila axis of the state attempting to abduct travelers.
"Benin-Owo-Ipele axis of Ondo State, like parts of Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Borno, Zamara and Niger states, are particularly notorious for banditry and kidnapping.
At the moment, it looks as if security approach is reactive rather than proactive.
“Critical studying of the pattern of these attacks tend to suggest a determination on the part of the attackers and their sponsors to instill fear in the people and to take control of their areas.
"Security agencies appear to be making a lot of efforts. But they are being overwhelmed by lack of necessary tools, enough manpower, paucity of skill that the present situation demands, internal complicity and betrayal, gaps in community-level intelligence gathering, targeting of mineral-resourced areas, among others," he added.
Afenifere, therefore, demanded for kinetic and non-kinectic approach, including sustained anticipation, intelligence, mapping, control and deterrence to win this war against terrorists, expressing the hope that the assurance given by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his 2026 New Year message to the nation would be realized.
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, while noting that President Tinubu had in his New Year message, restated, among others, the commitment of his administration to protect "lives, property and territorial integrity of our country," charged that"unveiling sponsors of banditry, empowering security personnel and commencement of State Police would go a long way in bringing the president’s avowal into fruition."
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