Reported by Antiketu Musa, Journalist at Sele Media Africa.
LAGOS, Nigeria — Afenifere has warned that Nigeria’s deepening insecurity reflects more than operational lapses, saying internal sabotage and possible compromise inside the security system now threaten the country’s stability. The pan-Yoruba group made the claim as attacks, kidnappings and armed violence continued across several regions in 2026. The allegation adds pressure on President Bola Tinubu’s government, which faces mounting criticism over safety and intelligence failures. (guardian.ng)
Afenifere’s Latest Warning
The group said powerful interests inside and outside government had frustrated efforts to curb banditry, kidnapping and terrorism. The Guardian reported on January 26, 2026 that Afenifere blamed “powerful cabals” for sabotaging efforts to tackle insecurity and other national problems. Independent also reported on February 15, 2026 that Afenifere urged South-West governors and neighbouring states to respond to what it called territorial expansion and sabotage. (guardian.ng)
That argument lands in a country already grappling with overlapping security crises. AP reported in March 2026 that Nigeria’s northwest remained hit by militant attacks, while the north-central zone continued to suffer ambushes, killings and kidnappings. Human Rights Watch said in its 2026 Nigeria country report that insecurity remained widespread in 2025 and exposed failures in protection and accountability. (apnews.com)
Why The Alarm Resonates Now
The timing matters because insecurity has moved beyond a single geography. AP reported in February and March 2026 that gunmen attacked communities in Niger and Plateau states, killing dozens and abducting others. Reuters also reported, through a later syndicated summary, that armed attacks and instability in northern Nigeria pushed hunger to record levels and disrupted farming across the region. (apnews.com)
Afenifere’s warning also echoes a broader debate in Nigeria over whether the country faces a firepower problem or a governance problem. TheCable reported on January 27, 2026 that one security analyst described the crisis as a data governance failure rather than a weapons deficit. That framing overlaps with Afenifere’s call for an internal review of security institutions and for the removal of anyone undermining operations. (thecable.ng)
The Pattern Across Regions
Nigeria’s insecurity now spans the northeast, northwest, north-central belt and parts of the south. AP’s March 7, 2026 report from Katsina said the military killed 45 militants in northwest clashes, while AP’s January 20, 2026 report from Kaduna showed police initially denied and then later acknowledged church attacks that abducted 168 people. Those developments reinforce how fragmented and lethal the security environment has become. (apnews.com)
The threat also cuts into daily life. Premium Times reported on April 8, 2026 that civil society groups warned Nigeria stood “on the brink of collapse” because of insecurity, hardship and weak public trust. The report cited organisations including ActionAid Nigeria, BudgIT Foundation, the Centre for Democracy and Development, SERAP, Yiaga Africa and Amnesty International Nigeria. (premiumtimesng.com)
What Afenifere Wants
Afenifere has pushed for a comprehensive internal review of security agencies, according to the statement reported by the Guardian on January 26, 2026. The group said authorities must identify and remove compromised individuals and dismantle interests that frustrate operations. Independent’s February 15, 2026 report added that the group wanted South-West governments and neighbouring states to strategise together against spillover violence. (guardian.ng)
That demand matters because public frustration has risen alongside the violence. AP reported in January 2026 that police first dismissed attacks in Kaduna before later recognising them, a sequence that deepened doubts over official transparency. Human Rights Watch’s 2026 report also said publicly available details on prosecutions and convictions for some mass killings remain unclear, which points to a persistent accountability gap. (apnews.com)
Official Pressure And Public Doubt
The federal government has repeatedly promised to improve security, but the violence has continued. AP’s March and February 2026 reports from Katsina and Niger states showed that armed groups still strike communities, ambush patrols and seize civilians even after earlier operations. Those incidents suggest that tactical victories have not yet produced lasting control on the ground. (apnews.com)
At the same time, the political debate over blame has intensified. TheCable reported on March 20, 2026 that the African Democratic Congress linked Nigeria’s Global Terrorism Index ranking to the government’s failure on security, while TheCable also reported in November 2025 that Senate President Godswill Akpabio said escalating insecurity appeared orchestrated to undermine democracy. Those competing claims show how insecurity has become both a security issue and a political fault line. (thecable.ng)
Legal And Institutional Stakes
Nigeria’s response now depends on more than military operations. Afenifere’s call for a security overhaul touches on policing, intelligence sharing, prosecution and oversight, all of which require institutions that can trace failure and punish abuse. The Nigeria Police Code of Conduct, available in a Premium Times document, underscores the principle that officers must act lawfully, professionally and in the public interest. (premiumtimesng.com)
Human Rights Watch’s report also underlines the legal dimension. It said insecurity in 2025 exposed failures in accountability and protection, while publicly available information on investigations and convictions remained limited in some cases. That creates a rule-of-law problem, not only a security one, because communities lose trust when violence brings no visible consequence for perpetrators. (hrw.org)
What This Means For Africa
Nigeria’s insecurity carries consequences far beyond its borders. The country anchors trade, migration, energy and food supply chains across West Africa, so violence in Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Zamfara and Niger can ripple into Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Reuters’ reporting on hunger and displacement shows how conflict in one part of Nigeria can also strain regional food markets and humanitarian systems. (investing.com)
The crisis also speaks to a continental pattern. Insecurity weakens farmers in Nigeria, threatens cross-border commerce in Niger and Benin, and complicates regional security cooperation with Chad and Cameroon. For African policymakers, Afenifere’s warning reflects a wider question: whether governments can fix intelligence leakage, corruption and coordination failures before armed groups keep exploiting them. (guardian.ng)
What Happens Next
The next test will come from the federal government’s response to calls for an internal audit of the security system. Civil society groups, northern communities, South-West leaders and opposition figures will watch whether authorities launch a transparent review, arrest compromised actors and publish clear timelines for reform. If officials ignore the warning, the gap between public fear and state assurances will widen further. (guardian.ng)
Sources:
- The Guardian, Afenifere accuses cabals of sabotaging govt efforts to curb insecurity, January 2026
- Independent Newspaper Nigeria, Insecurity: Afenifere charges South-West governors and others to strategise, February 2026
- AP, Nigeria military and police reports on killings, kidnappings and attacks, January–March 2026
- Human Rights Watch, World Report 2026: Nigeria, 2026
- Premium Times, groups warn Nigeria “on brink of collapse” over insecurity and economic strain, April 2026
- TheCable, Nigeria insecurity and political responses, November 2025–March 2026
