The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has blamed sabotage, complicity by powerful interests, corruption and territorial expansion for the persistent cases of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism across Nigeria.
The group raised the alarm in a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, expressing deep concern over the worsening security situation in the country.
Afenifere said repeated government efforts to curb insecurity have failed largely because influential individuals within the system, who are expected to drive solutions, are allegedly undermining those efforts for selfish reasons.
According to the organisation, such acts of sabotage have rendered several government policies ineffective across key sectors, including security, power, education, agriculture and the economy.
“Efforts made over the years to stem various iniquities in Nigeria have remained largely ineffective because powerful people among those expected to make the efforts fruitful are the very ones allegedly sabotaging them,” the statement said.
It added that corrupt tendencies among entrenched cabals in high places are responsible for the repeated failure of government strategies.
“Be it electricity, water, energy, education, agriculture, the economy or now insecurity, the reason for the seeming failure of government strategies in these sectors is the corruptive tendencies of some cabals who sabotage efforts meant to sanitise the system and enhance the well-being of the people,” Afenifere stated.
The organisation lamented that insecurity has worsened the already harsh economic realities faced by Nigerians, noting that safety has now become the primary concern for citizens struggling to survive.
“At the best of times, individuals struggle to make ends meet. Now, safety has become the first consideration before one can even think of what to do to sustain life for oneself and one’s dependents,” the statement added.
Afenifere stressed the urgent need for decisive and sincere action to address the rising cases of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, warning that continued failure to confront internal sabotage could further destabilise the country.
The group called on authorities to identify and confront those undermining security efforts, insisting that without tackling complicity and corruption within the system, the fight against insecurity would remain unsuccessful.
