By Ademola Adekusibe
March 7, 2026
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has issued a grave warning over the deteriorating security situation in the South-West, revealing the shocking and degrading demands now being made by terrorists holding victims captive.
In a statement released on Saturday, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, detailed the disturbing pattern of violence and humiliation being inflicted on communities across the region. He disclosed that kidnappers have begun demanding not only money but also virgins, Indian hemp, cocaine, a synthetic drug known as ICE, and even cartons of canned beer as conditions for releasing abducted victims. In one particularly gruesome instance, the terrorists demanded payment for the release of a corpse they were holding.
The statement highlighted numerous attacks across Yorubaland, including the assault on churches, police stations, and homes in Ondo State, the sacking of entire communities in Kwara, and the killing of farmers along the Igbeti-Kisi road in Oyo State. In Ekiti, victims were killed and their bodies held for ransom. In Akure, a couple was attacked in front of their home, and the husband was shot while trying to stop his wife from being abducted. A family of five was taken in Erinmope-Ekiti while residents were at evening prayers, and in Abuja’s Kubwa district, bandits reportedly went house to house robbing and abducting residents.
Afenifere expressed deep concern that the home environment, once considered a safe haven, is no longer secure. The organization called on governments and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the region from the grip of banditry and terrorism. They urged authorities to track down the sponsors of these attacks, block their sources of funding, and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. The group also commended President Bola Tinubu for his push to establish state police and praised the new Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, for taking steps toward that goal.
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