Ondo State Crisis: Afenifere Youth Leader Urges President Tinubu to Declare State of Emergency on Insecurity

Ondo State Crisis: Afenifere Youth Leader Urges President Tinubu to Declare State of Emergency on Insecurity

Abuja, Nigeria – The President of the Afenifere National Youth Council, Prince Eniola Ojajuni, has made a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to declare a state of emergency on insecurity in the Southwest, particularly in Ondo State.

In an open letter addressed to the President, Ojajuni highlighted the escalating wave of kidnappings and violent attacks that have left residents in fear for their lives. He lamented the transformation of once-thriving agricultural lands into criminal hideouts, where kidnappers operate freely and use forests as negotiation camps.

Recounting his own harrowing experience, Ojajuni revealed that he was abducted and held hostage for twelve days, suffering gunshot wounds from an AK-47, enduring extreme starvation, and receiving no medical attention. He described the psychological trauma that still haunts him, emphasizing that many other victims share the same fate.

Calls for Urgent Action

In his letter, the Afenifere youth leader outlined several urgent measures for the President to implement:

1. Declare a state of emergency on insecurity in the Southwest, especially in Ondo State.
2. Deploy special military operations to reclaim forests from criminal elements.
3. Strengthen border security to prevent the influx of terrorists and criminal herders.
4. Equip local security outfits like Amotekun to tackle threats effectively.
5. Investigate the flow of ransom payments, particularly scrutinizing Bureau de Change operators involved.
6. Increase surveillance in Lagos and Ondo States, especially in abandoned buildings with high fences and locked gates, which could serve as hideouts for kidnappers.
7. Engage youth associations and mandate all political office holders to hold regular town hall meetings to address security concerns.
8. Enforce a regional security collaboration among Southwest Governors.
9. Call for a Southwest Youth Security Summit to combat rising insecurity, especially as some kidnappers reportedly collaborate with tech-savvy youth who track mobile devices and act as informants.

Ojajuni further disclosed that he had previously written to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urging him to convene an emergency meeting of Southwest Governors to discuss security and youth engagement. However, he believes only a strong federal directive from President Tinubu can ensure swift and coordinated action.

“The Time to Act is Now”

Describing the situation as a full-blown war against innocent Nigerians, Ojajuni warned that no one is safe if urgent steps are not taken.

“Today, it is Ojajuni; tomorrow, it could be anyone,” he wrote.

He called on President Tinubu to intervene immediately to restore peace and security in the region, as millions of people in Ondo State and across the Southwest are looking up to him for decisive action.

The open letter has sparked conversations among political and security stakeholders, with many Nigerians echoing Ojajuni’s concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the region.

As the crisis deepens, all eyes are now on President Tinubu’s administration to see how it will respond to this urgent call for action.