The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has urged governors in the South-West to strengthen the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, by equipping its personnel with modern weapons and surveillance technology to tackle rising cases of kidnapping and banditry in the region.

The organisation made the call following a series of security incidents, including the recent abduction of 10 travellers along the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan Road in Ogun State, where the kidnappers reportedly demanded a ransom of ₦25m.

In a statement issued in Ibadan on Wednesday, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, expressed concern over the increasing attacks, saying the situation showed that more needed to be done to protect residents and travellers.

Although the abducted travellers were eventually rescued or released, the organisation said the incidents highlighted persistent security gaps across the region.

Afenifere proposes stronger Amotekun operations

Mr Ajayi called on South-West governors to acquire modern, high-grade weapons for Amotekun operatives to enable them to match the firepower of armed criminals.

He also proposed integrating conventional security agencies and local security outfits into specialised tactical teams to patrol forests, woodlands and other areas used as criminal hideouts.

The organisation urged governments to deploy drones, modern communication equipment and rapid-response systems to monitor forests and border communities.

It further called for full financial autonomy for local government councils, arguing that this would enable them to fund grassroots security operations and maintain regular patrols in vulnerable rural communities.

Other recommendations included establishing mechanised farming and vocational programmes to provide employment opportunities for young people and reduce their vulnerability to criminal recruitment.

Afenifere also advocated stricter judicial penalties for banditry and kidnapping, alongside effective community-based reporting systems that would allow residents to promptly alert security agencies about suspicious movements.

The group urged traditional rulers, including Obas and Baales, community leaders and security agencies to coordinate neighbourhood watch groups, monitor new arrivals in rural settlements and establish local early-warning systems.

Cites recent kidnappings and attacks

The organisation listed several recent security incidents across the South-West, including the abduction of Dapo, who had recently completed his National Youth Service Corps programme in Edo State.

It noted that the incident occurred weeks after prospective corps members travelling from Ibadan were abducted in Imo State on 1 October 2026.

Afenifere also recalled an earlier abduction at the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria along the Ibadan–Ijebu-Ode highway, saying a similar incident had occurred at the location months earlier.

Other cases highlighted included the killing of a farmer in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, the kidnapping of Prince Michael Folarin in Igbeti, and the abduction of 33-year-old poultry farmer, Ooreoluwa Osonuga, in Ogun State.

The group also cited the abduction of former lawmaker Debo Farounbi in Ora, Osun State, as well as reported kidnappings in parts of Kwara, Kogi and Niger states.

Existing security measures insufficient, group says

Afenifere acknowledged security initiatives introduced by governments in the region, including Operation Kosaye, launched by the Ogun and Lagos State governments, as well as joint security arrangements involving Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.

It also referenced security meetings held by South-West governors, including one in Ibadan in November 2025.

However, the organisation argued that the continued occurrence of kidnappings showed that existing measures had not sufficiently addressed the problem.

“While these efforts are acknowledged, the fact that insecurity, particularly kidnapping, persists on our land suggests that current measures are not enough,” the statement said.

Afenifere called for stronger coordination among federal and state governments, security agencies and local communities to address the security challenges.

Calls for education and youth welfare

The organisation also referred to recent remarks by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on the security implications of the large number of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria.

The Sultan had warned that children excluded from formal education were vulnerable to recruitment by criminal groups.

Afenifere said governments at all levels must prioritise public education and introduce welfare programmes to remove children from the streets and reduce the pool of potential recruits for banditry and other crimes.

It stressed that addressing insecurity required more than military operations, calling for a combination of effective policing, education, employment opportunities and community participation.