The National Youth President of Afenifere, Prince Eniola Ojajuni, has called for urgent steps to be taken by stakeholders against the rising wave of kidnappings across the Southwestern part of Nigeria as criminal elements are building their network across the region
Ojajuni made this call while speaking at a press conference where he described his experience during his recent abduction and tagged it a wake-up call for the government and security agencies to take urgent actions.
He said “On February 17, 2025, I was ambushed near Akunu Akoko, Ondo State, while travelling to Abuja. Armed Fulani herdsmen, disguised in military uniforms, opened fire on my vehicle, hitting it with nineteen bullets before abducting me and others.
“I was beaten 72 times daily and witnessed fellow captives, especially women, being brutally mistreated. The kidnappers were well-organised and heavily armed, wielding over 20 AK-47 rifles.”
According to Ojajuni, the kidnappers have set up multiple camps across the region, employing advanced technology to track victims and evade security forces.
He urged the Southwest Governors’ Forum to convene a security summit with youth representatives to address the crisis and proposed establishing a Southwest Youth Security Network in collaboration with the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Forest Guards Team to enhance intelligence gathering, improve community surveillance, and ensure swift reporting of suspicious activities.
He also criticised the Ondo State government for inaction, warning that kidnappers openly plan to intensify abductions in Ondo and Lagos states.
“They revealed details of their operations along the Sagamu–Ijebu Ode Road weeks before my abduction. If urgent measures are not taken, more innocent lives will be at risk,” he cautioned.”
Ojajuni reiterated his call for immediate government action, including deploying additional security personnel to high-risk areas, establishing more security checkpoints along highways and forest borders.
