Afenifere said the president lacked the political will and determination to confront the country’s challenges

The ongoing rampage by armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents, especially against police stations and military bases across the country, has overwhelmed the Buhari administration, Afenifere said on Wednesday.

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group cited how Boko Haram terrorists set up camps in villages in Kuje, Abuja, and took over about 500 communities in Niger.

Peoples Gazette had previously reported how Boko Haram took over parts of Niger and imposed VAT and income tax on residents of communities in Shiroro.

The group in a statement by its spokesperson, Jare Ajayi, recalled that Nasarawa Governor Abdullah Sule once said Boko Haram had taken over parts of his state.

“He even went further to remind the federal government and security agencies that Nasarawa is very close to Aso Rock, the country’s seat of power,” the group said.

Afenifere said aside from Boko Haram setting up camps in Niger and Nasarawa, bandits had overrun a large cache of lands in Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Benue, and Yobe.

“Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Benue, Yobe have a cache of lands where bandits have established themselves from which they unleash terror on the people and government interests.

“In the South West, Ibadan to Ijebu-Ode highway, parts of Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, and Osun States posted cases of armed attacks and abductions almost on a daily basis. The same way it is happening in Edo State among others,” the group said.

According to the group, the frequent killings by unknown gunmen, and the effectiveness of the ‘stay-at-home’ order by IPOB, had consigned the Buhari regime to “feebleness”.

Afenifere said Mr. Buhari was “very much aware of the challenges” but lacked the political “will and determination to confront the challenges headlong.”

According to the statement, the Buhari regime’s failure to act decisively on insecurity, “has imperiled the social and economic activities in various parts of the country.”

Afenifere said the incessant incidents of insecurity across the country were portrayals of the Buhari regime’s failure in its primary responsibility of protecting Nigerians.

The group said urgent steps were required to stop terrorists and bandits from gaining ground, and “prevent the country from going into smithereens.”