Afenifere decries insecurity in South West

From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

The pan Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere has decried the high rate of banditry and kidnapping in the country, especially the South West geo political zone.

Rising from a special meeting of the organization held at the residence of its leader, Chief Rueben Fasoranti in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the group bemoaned the current security situation in the country.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr Jare Ajayi, the group berated the security agencies in the country over the alarming rate of insecurity in the country.

The communique reads “Afenifere is very concerned that banditry and kidnapping are now so rampant that they are occurring in the South West almost on a daily basis.

“The meeting considered this as unacceptable and called on governments, security agencies and community leaders to rise up to the challenges and find lasting solutions to the menace.

“The meeting sympathized with Oluabo of Ilu Abo, Oba Olu Falae, the people of Ilu-Abo and Ondo State government on the terror act that took place on Sunday night. Expressing serious concerns over acts of terrorism occurring in various parts of Yoruba land, participants called for urgent actions to put a stop to the unfortunate incidents.

“The meeting also deliberated on the new Tax regimes that reportedly took off from this year January.

“Afenifere called on Governor’s of South West to do more in strengthening Amotekun with a view to curtailing insecurity in the region.

“The body also called on these governors to come up with a rail line project that will link the capitals of Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States. The rail-line and effective security cauldron can be extended to Kwara, Kogi, Edo and Delta States as well in alignment with governments of those states.

“Afenifere deliberated on the contents of the Tax Laws as announced by the federal government. Note was taken that the intention of the government with the tax laws is to, among others, relieve low-income earners of financial burdens. But the way it is presently structured, low-income earners are likely to be at the receiving end. In this regard, we are pleading that the threshold of N800,000 be raised generously upward so as to enable more low-income earners to benefit,” the communique added.