Insecurity: Terrorists demand drugs, virgins as ransom, says Afenifere

The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has condemned the escalating wave of terrorist attacks in south-western Nigeria, urging both federal and state authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the region from banditry.

According to Vanguard Newspaper, in a press release on Saturday, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Jare Ajayi, highlighted the Yoruba people’s alarm over the near-daily erosion of human life across multiple states.

He drew attention to the barbaric treatment of kidnapped victims, noting the merciless beatings and humiliations endured by abductees.

Ajayi recounted multiple incidents across the region, including attacks on churches, police stations, homes, and highways in Ondo State; sacked communities in Kwara; killings of farmers and assaults on travellers along the Igbeti-Kisi road in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State; and gruesome kidnappings in Ekiti State, where victims were killed and their corpses held for ransom.

On the nature of ransom demands, Ajayi said: “The greatest demonstration of the heartlessness of these evil-doers was their demands of N1.5 million, Indian hemp, cocaine, a synthetic drug known as ICE, and cartons of canned beer for the release of a corpse in their captivity.”

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He further revealed: “The kidnappers even hilariously asked for virgins to be brought in exchange for four men that they had previously abducted.”

Ajayi stressed that homes are no longer safe havens.

“Until recently, the home environment was considered a ‘safe haven’.

“Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. A couple was attacked in front of their home in Akure, Ondo State, with the husband shot while trying to prevent his wife from being abducted,” he stated.

He also highlighted other attacks.

“Elder Igwe, father of a former Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, was abducted on his way to church on Sunday, 1 March. In Erinmope-Ekiti, a family of five was taken at 7 p.m., while people were at mosque for evening prayers.

“Bandits reportedly went from house to house in Kubwa, Abuja, this week, robbing and abducting residents,” he further noted.

Ajayi added that similar protracted attacks have been reported in Kwara, Plateau, Benue, Borno, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Katsina, and Kaduna States, with returning refugees from Cameroon also falling victim in Bauchi State.

He recounted a case in Edo State involving a kidnapped medical doctor.

The release disclosed, “When the daughter of one kidnapper fell ill, the doctor, on duty at the hospital, recognised the perpetrators and alerted the police, leading to their arrest.

“The point here is that the bandit values the life of his daughter by seeking medical care for her, yet saw nothing wrong in killing other people.”

On the broader fight against terrorism and kidnapping, Ajayi emphasised: “Bandits are neither spirits nor invincible.”

He called for decisive action to cut off their funding sources, which he said include unscrupulous wealthy individuals, local and international organisations, some state actors, communities paying protection money or ‘harvest fees’, ransom from captives, and outright theft.

Highlighting the role of foreign actors, he stated: “Confessions from apprehended and tried bandits revealed they had sponsors.

“Therefore, it is essential to pursue the sponsors and their intermediaries, block the sources of their funding and weapons, raid the bushes in which they hide, tackle corruption and sabotage within security forces, motivate personnel, and ensure the immediate establishment of state police.”

Afenifere also commended President Bola Tinubu for his determination in advancing state police, citing his call on the National Assembly to expedite constitutional amendments for their immediate take-off.

The group praised Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, for inaugurating a committee to determine modalities for state police deployment.

Finally, the organisation reiterated its call for South West governors to: “Implement measures to raid bandit hideouts, maintain constant surveillance of vulnerable areas, and cooperate fully with the Federal Government to ensure the prompt establishment of state police in their states.”