By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has raised the alarm over persistent attacks and abductions of farmers and other residents across the South-West, warning that the worsening insecurity could undermine food production and heighten the risk of hunger in the coming months.
The organisation made this known on Friday, 21 August, 2026 in Ibadan, Oyo State, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, following its recent visits to the Oke-Ogun area and northern parts of Oyo and Ondo states, where residents reportedly expressed growing concerns over insecurity and its impact on farming.
Afenifere said several incidents of attacks and abductions in different parts of Yorubaland and other parts of Nigeria remained unreported, while many farmers had abandoned their farms because of the fear of kidnapping, poor returns on farm produce and the continued destruction of farmlands by cattle belonging to unscrupulous herders.
The organisation identified the three major reasons responsible for the abandonment of farms as fear of abduction, declining prices of farm produce due to the activities of middlemen and persistent grazing on farmlands despite repeated complaints, warnings and measures to curb the practice.
Afenifere cited the recent killing of a female farmer in Ondo State, the abduction of 33-year-old poultry farmer Ooreoluwa Osonuga in Ikenne, Ogun State, the killing of four farmers in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State, and the abduction of Debo Farounbi in Ora, Osun State, as examples of the security challenges confronting farmers in the region.
The organisation said Farounbi, who was abducted on Tuesday 9 June, 2026, remained in captivity despite the payment of N30 million ransom, with his abductors reportedly demanding additional money and motorcycles.
It also recalled that the All Farmers Association of Nigeria had, in June, raised concerns over persistent abductions of farmers, farm workers and agribusiness investors in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states, warning that the development had discouraged investment, reduced agricultural productivity and endangered the livelihoods of thousands of farming families.
Afenifere further cited the experience of Ondo-based farmer Eddy Olafeso, who owns 10 hectares of farmland where he produces cassava, cocoa, yam, plantain and other crops, but had reportedly abandoned the farm largely because of insecurity.
The organisation also noted that the President of the Cowpea and Beans Farmers Association of Nigeria and Vice President of the Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association, Shitu Kabir, had reported that the production of cowpea and beans had dropped by almost 70 per cent in the northern part of the country.
Similarly, Afenifere referenced concerns raised by a former Chairman of the Ondo State Agricultural Commodities Association, Olugbenga Obaweya, over the risks insecurity poses to agriculture, employment and food production.
According to the organisation, Obaweya warned that the inability of farmers to operate safely not only threatened food production but could also worsen unemployment as people engaged in agriculture-related businesses were forced out of work.
Afenifere said the reports emerging from different parts of the country presented a bleak outlook for agriculture and raised concerns over possible food shortages if insecurity was not urgently addressed.
Against this backdrop, the organisation commended President Bola Tinubu for directing the formulation of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan within 90 days, describing the initiative as necessary to improve coordination among Nigeria’s defence, intelligence and security agencies.
It also praised security authorities for the recent rescue of abducted students and teachers in Oyo and Borno states, urging them to deploy similar strategies to secure the release of other victims still in captivity and prevent further attacks.
To address banditry and kidnapping, Afenifere called for a combination of stronger military operations, tighter border controls, effective community policing and measures to eliminate the financial incentives driving kidnapping.
The organisation also urged communities, security agencies and public officials to identify and address individuals who may be aiding or abetting criminal groups.
It advocated economic reforms aimed at improving the purchasing power of Nigerians, reducing the rising cost of goods and services, securing areas regarded as ungoverned spaces and imposing swift and stringent sanctions on persons arrested for banditry.
Afenifere specifically urged governors in the six South-West states to strengthen the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun, pending the establishment of state police.
It recommended increased recruitment into Amotekun, the provision of modern communication equipment, operational vehicles and surveillance drones, as well as strict enforcement of anti-open grazing laws.
The group further called for the establishment of specialised ranger units to clear and patrol forest reserves being used as criminal hideouts, while local hunters and vigilante groups should be integrated into information-sharing networks.
It also encouraged the adoption of modern ranching practices and urged the states to establish joint security checkpoints along porous borders to monitor and prevent the movement of armed criminal groups into the region.
Afenifere maintained that a coordinated approach involving governments, security agencies, traditional institutions and local communities was necessary to restore confidence among farmers, protect agricultural investments and prevent insecurity from further undermining food security in the South-West.
