Rising insecurity: Tinubu’s govt appears helpless – Afenifere

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has called on the federal government to embrace foreign assistance where necessary to halt the spate of insecurity in the country.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the group’s General Meeting held on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, at the Ilesa residence of its Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan.

The communique was signed by Oba Oladipo and the Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye.

Afenifere expressed deep concern that Nigeria’s security situation has deteriorated to the point where the nation’s sovereignty and corporate existence are under threat.

The group said government appears “helpless,” while citizens across several regions—especially the Middle Belt—continue to suffer violent attacks, displacement, and large-scale killings.

The organisation attributed the persistent crises to what it described as Nigeria’s “unitary structure,” imposed by the military, which it said undermines the rights of ethnic nationalities and fuels injustice and instability.

The group stated that decades of centralisation, military-skewed state creation, and refusal to restructure the federation had left several groups politically marginalized.

The communiqué accused previous administrations of ignoring recommendations for restructuring and allegedly shielding violent groups. It faulted Buhari’s stance on the 2014 National Conference report and criticised his approach to addressing killings in the Middle Belt.

Afenifere also expressed disappointment that President Tinubu—long regarded as an advocate of decentralisation—has “aligned with an unjust system” that continues to marginalise various ethnic groups.

The group further condemned negotiations between government representatives and armed groups, describing it as “embarrassing” that terrorists attend such meetings heavily armed while security forces appear intimidated.

According to the communiqué, Nigeria’s perceived failure to stop coordinated attacks, especially in the Middle Belt, has created an impression of government negligence and complicity.

It warned that continued acceptance of long-standing structural imbalances amounts to condoning ongoing violence against vulnerable communities.

Afenifere also reacted to rumours of a possible military coup, lamenting that the President had not addressed the nation on the matter.

While firmly rejecting any return to military rule, the group urged the Armed Forces to focus on defending Nigeria’s territorial integrity and welcomed foreign assistance where necessary, citing Nigeria’s previous role in stabilising other West African states.

It, however, called for the immediate sack of IGP Kayode Egbetokun for failing to order arrests because some captors voluntarily released hostages.

The organisation urged the Federal Government to decisively stop killings nationwide, including what it described as genocidal attacks on Christian communities in the Middle Belt, and end the displacement of indigenous populations.

The organisation called for enhanced state autonomy, including the establishment of independent state police commands with supporting structures at local government and community levels.

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