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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

Afenifere warned of insecurity, but govt failed to act: Ex-Sec Gen

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Interview Named sources Context piece
  • A former Afenifere National Secretary-General claims the organization repeatedly warned the government about rising insecurity but was ignored.
  • He stated that governments must adopt modern security technology and strengthen local structures instead of relying on rhetoric.
  • The elder statesman recalled specific warnings issued by Afenifere as early as 2015 regarding Boko Haram and later about illegal camps in the Southwest.

Basorun Sehinde Arogbafa, former National Secretary-General of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization Afenifere, asserts that successive Nigerian governments have failed to heed repeated warnings about the escalating insecurity crisis.

Afenifere has been raising concerns about insecurity for many years. As a socio-political organisation, we do not carry arms. The best we can do is act as a pressure group by drawing the attention of government and other stakeholders to the dangers confronting the country.

— Basorun Sehinde ArogbafaExplaining Afenifere's role in addressing national security issues.

Arogbafa stated that Afenifere, acting as a pressure group, has consistently drawn attention to the dangers facing the country. He recalled that as far back as 2015, the organization warned about the growing threat of Boko Haram and urged South-West governors to unite on a common security strategy. He also encouraged vigilance among citizens and cautioned against collaborating with criminal elements.

As far back as 2015, we warned the nation and called on the government to take decisive action against Boko Haram before it grew into a greater threat.

— Basorun Sehinde ArogbafaRecalling early warnings issued by Afenifere.

Further highlighting Afenifere's concerns, Arogbafa mentioned the 2016 kidnapping of Chief Olu Falae, which underscored the seriousness of the situation. He organized a seminar with practical recommendations for government action, but lamented that little resulted from it. In 2018, a professor presented findings on illegal Fulani camps in South-West forests, prompting calls for investigation that were largely ignored.

Unfortunately, not much came out of it.

— Basorun Sehinde ArogbafaReferring to the lack of government action following a seminar on security.

Arogbafa stressed that governments must move beyond mere rhetoric. He called for the deployment of modern security technology, the strengthening of local security structures, and the mobilization of communities to effectively confront criminal networks. He believes that collective action is essential to finding solutions to the pervasive insecurity plaguing the nation, including the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.

We called on the authorities to investigate and take action, but little was done.

— Basorun Sehinde ArogbafaOn the response to findings about illegal camps in Southwest forests.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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