Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere has publicly condemned the recent surge in terror attacks, mass kidnappings and violent raids affecting Kwara State and other parts of Nigeria, warning that the wave of insecurity represents a grave threat not only to local communities but to broader regional stability. The organisation’s statement, issued by its National Publicity Secretary Comrade Jare Ajayi in Ibadan, Oyo State, reflects escalating concern among civic groups over violent criminality increasingly spilling into previously relatively peaceful states.
Afenifere’s response follows a string of brutal incidents, including the deadly assaults on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State earlier this month, in which hundreds of residents were killed, homes and markets were torched and dozens of people abducted by armed militants. Those attacks, widely attributed by local sources to Boko Haram and affiliated extremist elements, were described by the group as “very disturbing developments” and part of a troubling trend of violence that now extends into states bordering the South-West.
In its communiqué, Afenifere said that repeated terror attacks in Kwara, Kogi and Niger states, alongside episodic kidnappings in Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo states, have generated widespread fear that armed criminal networks are encroaching on the South-West. The group noted that incidents such as the abduction of a schoolgirl in Challenge area of Ibadan and violent raids in Kwara demonstrate that such violence is no longer confined to remote rural areas but has begun to affect urban and peri-urban centres.
Describing the spate of insecurity as “deeply troubling,” Ajayi lamented the rising number of abductions, assaults on worship centres, and attacks on marketplaces, emphasising that these developments undermine confidence in government’s ability to protect citizens. Afenifere recalled that the six South-West governors had pledged joint action on security issues at a meeting in Ibadan in November 2025, including the establishment of a regional South-West Security Fund and monitoring infrastructure to track threats. However, the socio-political group expressed concern that these measures have yet to be fully implemented or to yield the intended protective outcomes.
The organisation also pointed to reports that bandits had issued advance warnings of attacks in parts of Kwara, interpreting such intelligence as evidence of territorial expansion by violent actors beyond their traditional strongholds in the North-East and Middle Belt. This shift, according to Afenifere, suggests a serial sacking of communities that were once considered secure. Ajayi stressed that states such as Kwara, Benin, Edo, and Delta must urgently devise security arrangements that would enable residents to “sleep with their two eyes closed,” underscoring the urgency of inter-state collaboration and proactive preventive strategies.
Beyond political condemnation, Afenifere’s remarks reflect broader frustrations among civil society over what many perceive as lagging institutional responses to Nigeria’s worsening security situation. The group has previously argued that insecurity is partly driven by failures in information processing, inadequate use of intelligence, and, in some cases, the cultivation of peace pacts with armed groups that have failed to prevent further attacks. Criticism has also been directed at perceived sabotage and complicity within power structures that may undermine coherent national security strategies.
Afenifere’s position aligns with recent advocacy by human rights organisations calling on the federal government to take extraordinary action in conflict-affected states. Rights groups have urged for intensified rescue operations, declaration of security emergencies in epicentres such as Kwara, and robust inter-agency cooperation to protect civilians and dismantle armed networks responsible for mass kidnappings.
Analysts say the insecurity in Kwara is part of a broader pattern of violent expansion by armed actors that have historically operated with impunity in ungoverned spaces, exploiting limited state presence and porous borders. Between January and November 2025, data compiled by conflict monitoring organisations show that over 200 people were killed and nearly 180 abducted in multiple violent incidents across Kwara State, highlighting the depth of the crisis confronting the region.
The rise in insecurity has also drawn condemnation from international actors, with foreign governments decrying attacks that have claimed civilian lives and destabilised rural communities. Some analysts suggest that these global responses, while significant, must be coupled with sustained domestic reforms to security architecture, including improved intelligence, rapid response capabilities, and community engagement.
For ordinary citizens in Kwara and neighbouring states, the recent events have magnified everyday anxieties about safety and the protection of homes, livelihoods and lives. Families affected by kidnappings, killings and destruction of property continue to call for decisive government action that goes beyond statements of concern and delivers tangible improvements in security and public order.
The outcry from Afenifere and other civic voices adds to mounting pressure on political leaders and security agencies to re-examine current strategies, accelerate implementation of regional security frameworks, and reinforce cooperation between states to more effectively counter emerging terror threats and protect vulnerable populations.
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