The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization Afenifere has expressed serious concerns regarding the ongoing attacks and kidnappings of farmers and other citizens in the Yoruba region. In a statement by National Publicity Secretary Jare Ajayi, Afenifere highlighted numerous unreported incidents across Yorubaland, emphasizing a growing fear among farmers that has led many to abandon their lands.
Afenifere’s recent visits to the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State and northern Ondo State revealed three primary reasons for this mass abandonment: an alarming fear of kidnapping, plummeting market prices for farm products due to predatory middlemen known as ‘Onibaranda,’ and the persistent encroachment of grazing herders on agricultural lands. Recent tragedies mentioned included the killing of a female farmer in Ondo State and the abduction of Ooreoluwa Osonuga, a 33-year-old poultry farmer in Ogun State.
Sources reported that the kidnappers of Debo Farounbi, abducted on June 9, 2026, have continued to demand a ransom of N30 million despite initial payment, further fueling the fears that have gripped the farming community. The All Farmers Association of Nigeria has stated such kidnappings have severely discouraged agricultural investment and productivity across several southwestern states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo.
Afenifere noted voices like Eddy Olafeso, a prominent farmer in Ondo State, lamenting that he has forsaken his 10 hectares of land because of security concerns. Additionally, Shitu Kabir, president of the Cowpea and Beans Farmers Association of Nigeria, reported a staggering 70% drop in production of these crops in the north due to insecurity. Former chairman of the Ondo State Agricultural Commodities Association, Olugbenga Obaweya, echoed similar sentiments, warning that ongoing insecurity threatens not just food production but also exacerbates unemployment.
The organization painted a grim picture for agricultural prospects in Nigeria unless there is immediate action to address the security crisis, warning of impending hunger. Afenifere praised President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a strategic five-year defense operations plan aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security framework.
In addition to commending security agencies for the recent rescue operations in Oyo and Borno States, Afenifere called for heightened efforts to retrieve remaining captives and preempt further kidnappings. They suggested multi-layered solutions to combat banditry, including increased military action, tighter border controls, community policing, and addressing the root causes driving criminal behavior.
Specifically, Afenifere urged southwest governors to bolster the Amotekun security outfit, ensure enforcement of anti-grazing laws, form specialized units for patrolling, integrate local hunters into security networks, and establish joint checkpoints along porous borders to prevent armed incursions. The organization underscored the need for collective action at all levels to combat the pervasive threat of banditry affecting the agricultural sector and overall community safety in the Yoruba region.
