The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed relief on the return of the Nigerian graduates who were kidnapped on their way from Akwa Ibom to Sokoto State where they were to undergo the one-year national service under the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
The organisation, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, however, added that the security agencies needed to do more in view of rampant cases of insecurity received on a daily basis.
The group also reiterated its advocacy for enrollees to the NYSC scheme to be allowed to serve within their geopolitical zone rather than going from one part of the country to the other.
It would be recalled that the last batch of the youth Corps members who spent virtually a whole year in the den of their abductors were rescued last week by the combined efforts of security agencies comprising the police, army, and the intelligence agencies.
In a similar vein, some medical students of the Universities of Jos and Maiduguri who were kidnapped around Otukpo in Benue State, on their way to Enugu for this year’s annual Catholic medical students conference, were also rescued last week by the security agencies with the support of local vigilante groups.
They were kidnapped along with one of their lecturers who was travelling with them. Afenifere commended the security agencies for these feats.
The organisation however, observed that those pockets of ‘achievements’ appear to be dwarfed by the avalanche of security challenges people are facing in different parts of the country.
It stated that among the recent incidents were that of Alhaji Isa Muhammad Bawa, Emir of Gobir and District Head of Gatawa, Sokoto State who was killed despite the N30 million ransom being gathered to secure his release and that of his son with whom he was kidnapped.
The organisation stated that the continued holding of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola who is spending about eight months in the den of kidnappers, and the killing of two policemen in Imo State last week by gunmen is disturbing.
Afenifere noted that there are still rampant cases of kidnappers’ and bandits launching attacks on the people, adding that such incidents occur virtually on a daily basis.
The Pan-Yoruba group therefore urged the federal government to start the immediate implementation of the Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022 (“TPA 2022”) signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May, 2022.
It stated that the law allows states and local government councils to set up local police.
‘’Also recruit able youths to man their areas so as to leave no area for bandits to occupy. There is the need to deploy modern technology into various areas so as to assist in easily detecting potential and actual security threats.
‘’Also that the government needs to boost the economy, to reduce hardship in the land thus minimising the tendency to go into crime. The government also needs to motivate and equip law enforcement agencies to be more alive to their duties,’’ Afenifere stated.
