The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has warned that rising cases of kidnapping and banditry across the South-West must not be allowed to persist due to fears that state governors may abuse the proposed state police structure.

The group’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, stated this during an interview yesterday on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, where he expressed concern over what the organisation described as growing security threats in the region.

Ajayi recalled that the organisation, in a statement issued on Sunday, had warned that repeated attacks in Kwara State, Kogi State and Niger State, alongside recent kidnappings in Ondo State, Ekiti State and Oyo State, point to a troubling security trajectory.

According to him, although concerns about the possible misuse of state police by governors are understandable, such fears should not prevent Nigeria from adopting stronger security structures needed to combat rising criminal activities.

Ajayi said the organisation’s recent statement was prompted by a series of disturbing kidnapping incidents and attacks recorded across South-West states.

He cited the case of a medical doctor and his brother who were kidnapped in Ondo State, noting that the incident reflects the increasing boldness of criminal groups operating in the region.

“We are extremely disturbed and concerned. Quite a number of incidents prompted the statement we issued. For instance, we cited the case of a medical doctor and his brother who were kidnapped in Ondo State. The younger brother was killed, while the doctor was brutalised,” Ajayi said.

“There were also repeated attacks in communities around Akure and other parts of the region. In one instance, a man was shot while trying to resist kidnappers who wanted to abduct his wife, yet the wife was still taken away. Along the Oyo axis as well, travellers were attacked and taken into the bush. All these occurred within a short period.”

Ajayi also pointed to recent security developments in Kwara State as further evidence that banditry and kidnapping are spreading beyond their traditional strongholds, warning that the situation requires urgent and coordinated action by security agencies.

According to him, rising attacks in communities across the state demonstrate how criminal groups are gradually expanding their operations into new territories.

“When you look at what is happening now in places like Kwara State, it confirms that the problem has gone beyond isolated incidents. Communities had earlier raised alarm about the presence of bandits in their forests, but those warnings were not taken seriously until attacks began to occur,” Ajayi said.

“This clearly shows that when intelligence from local communities is ignored, the consequences eventually become visible. The situation in Kwara today is a clear indication that banditry and kidnapping are spreading and must be tackled before they become deeply entrenched.”

He added that the development underscores the need for stronger collaboration between federal security agencies and local authorities to ensure swift responses to early warning signals.

Ajayi noted that the increasing frequency and spread of attacks have heightened fears among residents of the region.

He also acknowledged the installation of surveillance infrastructure by some South-West governments but stressed that technology alone cannot resolve the security crisis without firm enforcement and decisive action by security agencies.