Bandits: Ramp up security in South-West, Afenifere tells governors

• Afenifere advised that the strategies that are being devised should include functional up-to-date equipment for those who would be on the fields, attractive incentives and the deployment of modern technologies to assist in identifying the bandits and their hideouts.

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organization, Afenifere, has admonished governors in the South-West to heighten security in the region.

The admonition followed claims of movement of bandits into the South-West. Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, had on Monday disclosed that bandits fleeing military onslaught in some part of northern Nigeria are relocating to and setting up their camps in Oyo State.

“During a security briefing this morning, I learned that some bad elements from the North-West are relocating here due to military heat in their zones,” Makinde said.

Reacting to Makinde claims in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere said such security concern should not be treated with scant regard.

The organization therefore called on all the governors of the South-West to, “as a matter of urgency, hold a meeting to map out strategies to expel the bandits from the region and to ensure that such elements do not infiltrate Yorubaland at any time again”.

“For these objectives to be achieved, there is the need to carry certain groups along.

“These are the security agencies that will implement whatever security decisions are reached, traditional rulers and heads of local vigilantes known as ‘Ode’”, the statement said.

Afenifere advised that the strategies that are being devised should include functional up-to-date equipment for those who would be on the fields, attractive incentives and the deployment of modern technologies to assist in identifying the bandits and their hideouts.

While urging security agencies and citizens not to take the issue of security lightly, Ajayi noted that traditional rulers and community leaders in different parts of Yorubaland must not keep quiet whenever they notice any indication of security threat.

“For example, until the governor made the revelation on Monday, such grave security danger was unknown to members of the public, yet there are people living in the Fashola area where the bandits were reported to have established a camp.

“It is not unlikely that similar camps could be found in some other parts of the South West, hence the need for urgent and effective action,” the statement added.