The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Ondo State chapter, has stressed the need for the southwest to stay alert and prepare for self-defence against infiltration of bandits in the region.

While urging traditional rulers to swiftly activate community defence systems to curb planned attacks by bandits and their local collaborators.

According to the group, bandits are trying to take over territories in the region, warning that communities must act now to destroy what it calls “orchestrated hegemonic territorial armed onslaughts”.

In a statement signed by the State Chairman, Korede Duyile, and State Secretary, Bakkita Bello, the group maintained that its warnings of the potential danger looming in the country over the strange influx of unknown individuals were ignored.

With the group lamenting the abduction of 42 school children and seven teachers a few weeks ago in the Oriire Local Council Area of Oyo State, they implored governments at all levels to ensure the provision of necessary resources required for effective surveillance and intelligence gathering.

The statement read in parts, “The Ondo State Chapter of Afenifere, the Yoruba Socio-Political Group, laments the unfortunate abductions of 42 schoolchildren and seven teachers on May 15, 2026, from Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota, both located in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

“Tragically, the godless bandits even decapitated one of the teachers! We denounce and condemn in the strongest terms their continuous captivity under the most callous and inhuman environmental conditions, as well as prolonged deliberate physical and emotional maltreatment ever imagined.

“We identify very sincerely with the affected children and teachers, their families, their communities and the government of Oyo State at this critical time of enduring pain and reckless provocation.

“The very act that has subjected all those affected to psychological and physical tortures is not only condemnable as heinous and evil but also an unpardonable sin against humanity and all reasonableness.

“We pray for speedy divine intervention and rescue of all those in the marauders’ captivity in Oyo State, as well as other numerous captives being held in Ondo State and other parts of Nigeria. We also wish all victims speedy recovery from inflicted injuries and trauma.”

The statement further read, “We appreciate the concern of the Federal Government. We do not forget all the good people that have been involved genuinely in the rescue operations. We commend you all.

“We particularly salute the courage of Governor Seyi Makinde in the face of these challenges. How we earnestly wish that the current unfortunate abductions did not happen! However, we can only hope that the unfortunate incident will help remind all our Southwest governors of the incessant calls, pleas and warnings made by Afenifere over the years.

“Afenifere leadership had indeed continually warned, most times with facts, of the impending catastrophes portended by the unchecked and unrestricted influxes of undesirable elements, deliberately from some other parts of Nigeria into the South West. Unfortunately, our well-meaning warnings were never heeded.

“The Ondo State Chapter of Afenifere uses this development, though heartrendingly painful, to reiterate the call for the immediate establishment of state police, regional governments, and constitutional roles for the traditional heads of our communities.

“In the meantime, we advise all our traditional heads to immediately activate in all our communities defence mechanisms, systems and structures designed to not only checkmate but also effectively destroy the orchestrated hegemonic territorial armed onslaughts of the marauders, codenamed bandits, with their local facilitators. We call on the good citizens of Ondo as well as other Southwest States to be always alert and ever ready to mobilise proactively in self-defence.

“We also welcome the recent judicial pronouncement and sentencing to death by hanging of the terrorists that inflicted heavy casualties on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in 2023. We, however, call for speedy trials and judicial determination of all cases involving terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other bloodletting criminals.

“We would like to commend the security operatives, who continue to commit their lives to protecting the society, in the face of daunting challenges. We implore governments at all levels to ensure provision of necessary resources required for effective surveillance, intelligence gathering and tactical attacks, towards stemming, timeously and permanently, the invasions of these heinous marauders.”