Afenifere expresses worry over attacks on army troops
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed deep concern over a spate of violent attacks across the country, including the killing of military personnel at a base in Benisheikh, Borno
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed deep concern over a spate of violent attacks across the country, including the killing of military personnel at a base in Benisheikh, Borno State, as well as assaults on civilians in several states.
The position was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi.
According to reports, the Commanding Officer of the Benisheikh military base, Brigadier General Oseni Braimah, was killed on Thursday morning during an attack on Military formations in Pulka and Monguno.
In Ondo State, a poultry farm located in Igushi Ala, Akure North Local Government Area, was attacked, resulting in the killing of the farmer and her daughter, while three workers, including the farmer’s sister, were abducted.
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Similar incidents were recorded in Vole community in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, as well as in parts of Kwara and Niger states, all occurring within a short period.
The organisation also recalled earlier attacks, including the abduction of five individuals at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Ibadan, as well as repeated banditry and cattle rustling in the Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa areas of Oyo State.
Rising violence in Benue, Katsina, and Plateau states has heightened national concern, prompting a recent visit to Plateau by Bola Tinubu.
Reviewing the trend of insecurity nationwide, Ajayi attributed the situation to multiple factors, including alleged internal sabotage within security agencies, collaboration between criminals and local informants, suspected foreign interests targeting Nigeria’s mineral resources, and possible involvement of political actors.
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He further cited comments made in May 2025 by Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, who, during a television interview, alleged the presence of informants and collaborators within the armed forces, political class, and local communities, and called for decisive action to address the crisis.
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The statement reads in part, "The current Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa too, then in his capacity as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) disclosed that some military personnel have been betraying the army by leaking vital information to bandits.
"He spoke during his visit to Yetwata in Benue state in June 2025 following the massacre of many people and burning of houses in the communities around that area. He had said If you see the pattern of killings and slaughtering, it means there is an insider. As we were going round, it became obvious that the killing and burnings were targeted."
Ajayi said that the authorities concerned should beam a lot of searchlight on their internal mechanism and the elements listed above viz: internal sabotage and complicity among security agencies, collusion between badits and some locals in given communities, foreign interests who set their eyes on Nigeria’s mineral resources as well as some possible unscruplous political actors.
He buttressed his point by pointing to the patterns of several attacks that have been taken place. “Reports always have it that bandits usually move into their targets on motorbikes. Since these cyclists are always armed, dressed in a manner that easily shows them as bandits and move in convoys, there are reasons for security agencies to intercept them.”
He went further to state that drones and other sundry surveillance devices including CCTV do not fail to spot these bandits moving in such convoys, adding, "the problem has always been the use to which information so gathered were put. Going by the ease with which these bandits carry out their evil acts often without challenge, it means that they have informants, protectors and sponsors among the elements or agents that should tackle them.
"How terrorists struck in the government secondary, Maga, Kebbi state a few hours after the military withdrew from the school as also happened in Woro in Kwara State could be referenced here.
“Thus, it is high time that greater self-examination is done and necessary steps taken if the war against insecurity in Nigeria is to be won.”
Afenifere added that as part of the measures that can be taken even before state police takes off, suspected backers of bandits can be persuaded to encourage their protégés to submit their weapons as occurred during the administration of late President Yar Adua – while appropriate sanctions as prescribed by law can be then be invoked on them.
