The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has expressed deep concern over the rising insecurity in certain regions of the country due to attacks by armed herdsmen on farmers.
The group emphasized that the criminal actions of these bandits against farmers underscore the urgent necessity for the establishment of state police to improve local-level security.
These sentiments were conveyed in a statement issued by the Secretary-General of the association, Chief Sola Ebiseni, in Akure on Wednesday.
According to The PUNCH, the statement was released following a meeting of the group held at the residence of its leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, in Ogbo Ijebu, Ogun State.
The communique partly reads, “Afenifere observed the alarming resurgence of insecurity occasioned by the activities of armed cattle herders terrorising farmers, killing, maiming the people and raping women for which some of the host communities are no longer comfortable living with the killer guests.
“While Afenifere appreciates the constitutional rights of every Nigerian to live in any part of the country of his/her choice, it is important to stretch and ensure that such citizens live in peace with their hosts and respect their culture and economic prosperity.
“Afenifere reiterates our opposition to open grazing of animals and reaffirms preference of ranching as the world’s best practice of animal husbandry. No matter is better than now to consider that state governments be allowed to play greater roles in the security of their states by establishing their internal policing mechanism”.
