The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed profound shock over a series of devastating security breaches that occurred across Nigeria this week, calling for an immediate and thorough overhaul of the country's security architecture.
Wave of Violence Grips Kwara and Kebbi
In a strongly-worded statement released on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, the group highlighted several alarming incidents. The first was a brutal attack on a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Kwara State during a special service on Tuesday, November 18. The assault, which took place around 6:30 pm, resulted in the death of approximately three worshippers, left many others wounded, and led to an unknown number of abductions.
The Kwara State Police Command, through its spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the church attack. Reports further indicate that bandits launched another assault on the Ilorin-Kabba Road, causing panic and forcing travellers to abandon their vehicles.
The violence continued into Wednesday, with an attack on rice farmers in Bokungi, located in the Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State. According to Mr. Olasunkanmi Ayeni, a spokesman for the Eruku Community, the bandits had been trying to penetrate the community for about four weeks before succeeding.
Kebbi School Attack and Military Ambush Point to Sabotage
Afenifere also decried the attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State. Shockingly, Kebbi State Governor, Mohammed Nasir Idris, revealed that his administration had received a prior intelligence report from the Department of State Security (DSS) warning of an impending attack on the school. The governor acted on this information by convening an emergency Security Council meeting, yet the attack still occurred, which he labelled "a clear sabotage".
This claim of internal compromise is bolstered by the testimony of a teacher who escaped the incident. The teacher stated that there was a heavy military presence at the school the night before the attack, with soldiers even providing training protocols. However, the security personnel reportedly left the school just before dawn, and the kidnappers struck approximately 30 minutes after their withdrawal.
Similarly, the group pointed to the ambush and killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba on the Damboa-Biu road. The circumstances, including a suspected leak of intelligence on his movement and a failure to provide necessary backup, mirror how another Brigadier General, Dzarma Zirkusu, was killed in 2021 in the same area.
Afenifere's Call for Urgent Action and State Police
In reaction to these events, Afenifere asserted that the sophistication and daring nature of the attacks suggest they were carefully planned and executed by individuals with military and intelligence expertise. The group questioned the efficacy of the massive N6.576.5 trillion allocated to security and defence in the 2025 budget, urging anti-graft agencies to scrutinise defence spending.
The organisation presented a multi-point plan to address the crisis, demanding the following steps be taken without delay:
- The immediate implementation of the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST) and the prompt enforcement of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act.
- Military and DSS intelligence to conduct more rigorous internal investigations.
- The immediate establishment of state police while working on the necessary constitutional framework.
- The integration of community leaders into local security apparatus, with consequences for proven complicity.
- Engaging retired military veterans to supplement serving officers.
- Improving the socio-economic conditions of the people through short, mid, and long-term measures.
Afenifere concluded that the upsurge in attacks cannot be divorced from possible high-level complicity and sabotage, and that only a decisive and transparent overhaul can restore security and public confidence.
