The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday, declared that the infiltration of Nigeria by bandits has shown a failure of the Federal Government.
Similarly, the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, also yesterday, warned terrorists to refrain from attacking the South-West region, saying such an attempt would be met with stiff resistance.
Afenifere, however, noted that the situations that unfolded in Nigeria, within the week, have further confirmed that those piloting the affairs of Nigeria currently are far away from the reality Nigerians are dealing with.
Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jare Ajayi, in a chat with Vanguard, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to wake up to the reality and summon the necessary political will to address the dwindling state of the nation.
Ajayi said: “On the issue of Nigerians resorting to self-help, it is an indication of a total loss of confidence in government, because the primary duty of government is to protect the people. Self-help will not do us any good because innocent Nigerians may suffer at the end of the day. Advocating self-help will not achieve the desired results at the end of the day. What we should do is to mount pressure on those in government to live up to their responsibility.
“On the infiltration of bandits in Nigeria, what should be done is to flush them out.
“Afenifere believes that government, at the centre, has shown that it is unwilling to deal with the insecurity situation.
“If that is the case, the Federal Government should allow states, willing to protect their people, to establish state police. Each state will be able to deal with banditry and insecurity.
“We call on the president to wake up to the reality, delegate powers and summon the necessary political will. Stop the kid-glove treatment being given to kidnappers and bandits and allow states that are willing to establish their police forces.”
Insecurity fueling imminent war—OPC
Meanwhile, the OPC, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka
Oguntimehin, noted that the porous security situation in the country is a pointer to imminent war that is capable of pushing Nigeria to its precipice.
The statement reads: “From the present situation in the country, it is evident that the Federal Government has been overwhelmed by the rising spate of insecurity in the country. President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to match his words with action.
“For instance, public schools in Abuja, Nasarawa State and some other parts of the North are shutting down as a result of the rising insecurity.
The situation is getting worse every day with the number of killings increasing sporadically.
“However, there is an urgent need for the southwest governors to rise to the security situation before it is too late.
“We should not take the terrorists’ threats with levity. We must act now.”
The OPC boss, who urged all sons and daughters of Yorubaland to be vigilant, assured the people of the South-West that the OPC will not relent in its efforts to forestall any security breach.
He said: “There are reports that terrorists have relocated from the Middle-Belt to the Southwest. So, we need to be vigilant because it is evident that the security architecture of the Federal Government has failed already.
“So the OPC will continue to offer the necessary support in terms of surveillance and intelligence gathering to bolster the security situation in the South-West.”
Vanguard
