The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has raised alarm over recent terrorist attacks on communities in Kwara and Kogi States, describing them as deliberate attempts by territorial expansionists and disgruntled elements to destabilise the country and establish parallel chiefdoms.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, in Ibadan, the group commiserated with the governments and people of the two states over the recent spate of tragedies, including deadly attacks, a boat mishap, and severe flooding.
Afenifere maintained that the invasion of communities in the Middle Belt region was a grim reminder of the growing security threats facing Nigeria. The organisation said the scale of destruction, the sophisticated weapons used, and the “daring manner” of the attackers suggested that they were being sponsored by powerful interests both locally and internationally.
“The type of weapons they use, the derring-do manner with which they attack and the intensity of the damage they cause clearly indicate that they have very powerful people sponsoring them both locally and internationally,” Ajayi stated, warning that collaborators and sponsors of terrorism would not be spared when insecurity spirals out of control.
He drew parallels with the instability in Afghanistan and Libya, stressing that Nigeria must avoid the same fate. “What is happening in Afghanistan presently and what has been happening since the unwarranted ouster and murder of Muammar Ghadaffi of Libya should serve as lessons,” the statement read.
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The group further warned that those who enable terrorists in Nigeria risk endangering their own families, adding that such violent actors have no respect for human rights or community values.
Afenifere also recalled President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address, in which he assured citizens that his administration was taking steps to strengthen national security.
The Middle Belt, including Kogi, Benue, Plateau, and parts of Kwara, has long witnessed violent clashes between armed groups and farming communities. Recent environmental disasters, such as flooding triggered by torrential rains and recurring boat accidents, have further compounded the plight of residents in the two states.