AKURE, Nigeria — Prince Eniola Ojajuni, the National Youth President of Afenifere, has issued a stark warning about the escalating wave of kidnappings by armed herdsmen in Southwest Nigeria, urging immediate government intervention to address the crisis.
Ojajuni’s call comes after his own harrowing experience of abduction, which he described as a wake-up call for both the government and security agencies.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, March 16, 2025, Ojajuni recounted his kidnapping on 17 February 2025 near Akunu Akoko in Ondo State, where he was ambushed by armed Fulani herdsmen disguised in military uniforms.
“They opened fire on my vehicle, hitting it with 19 bullets before abducting me and others,” he revealed.
The youth leader spent 12 days in captivity, during which he suffered two gunshot wounds—one narrowly missing his spinal cord—and endured severe physical abuse.
“I was beaten 72 times daily and witnessed fellow captives, especially women, being brutally mistreated,” Ojajuni said.
He described the kidnappers as highly organised and heavily armed, with over 20 AK-47 rifles at their disposal.
Ojajuni disclosed that the kidnappers have established multiple camps across the Southwest, using advanced technology to track victims and evade security forces.
He provided alarming figures: 27 camps in Ondo State, 16 in Ekiti, 7 in Osun, and 5 in Ogun. He also revealed how his ransom payment had to be relocated from Ikare to Ibilo after the kidnappers detected security forces tracking them.
“They thoroughly searched my phone, blocked certain contacts, and monitored social media to remain undetected,” Ojajuni added.
The Afenifere youth leader urged the Southwest Governors’ Forum to convene a security summit with youth representatives to address the crisis.
He proposed the establishment of 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.
“I am ready to provide firsthand intelligence on these kidnappers’ operations, gained during my captivity, to help dismantle their networks,” Ojajuni declared.
He also criticised the Ondo State government for its inaction, warning that kidnappers have openly planned 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 commended the bravery of his fellow captives, including two women who suffered severe abuse and are still receiving medical treatment.
“Their suffering must not be in vain—it must be a catalyst for change,” he asserted.
He 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, enhancing intelligence gathering and surveillance, identifying and prosecuting collaborators aiding these criminals, and conducting security sweeps in forests across Ibilo, Edo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, and Lagos.
While Ojajuni acknowledged the Inspector General of Police’s intelligence-driven rescue operation and the efforts of the Nigeria Forest Guards Team, he insisted that more must be done to protect citizens.
“Nigerians should not have to live under the constant threat of insecurity,” he concluded.
“We are resilient, but we must demand immediate solutions to end this reign of terror. Our leaders must be held accountable, and we must rise to defend our communities for a safer future.”
Recall that Ojajuni was kidnapped on 17 February 2025, with his abductors initially demanding N100 million in ransom. A voice recording obtained before his release captured a tense conversation between his family and the kidnappers, who threatened to kill him within 48 hours if the ransom was not paid.
A source familiar with the situation disclosed that N17 million was eventually raised to secure his freedom, with Ojajuni’s wife personally delivering the ransom in Akure.
Despite repeated pleas, the Nigerian government provided no financial assistance, and security agencies were reportedly unable to track the kidnappers’ location until the ransom was paid.
