Use carrot and stick method to check terrorism, Afenifere urges Tinubu

THE pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, has called on President Bola Tinubu to use the carrot and stick method to check the growing rate of kidnapping and terrorism in the country.

The Reuben Fasoranti faction, which made the call in a statement in Ibadan, Oyo State, expressed concern over crimes in Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Borno, Sokoto, Niger, Ondo, Katsina and Rivers states, recently.

He highlighted some flashpoints where crime rates are rife, adding that in the last week of the year, detachments of security agencies were in Igbeti and Sepeteri, Oke-Ogun, Oyo State to thwart the plan by suspected bandits to unleash terror in the area.

“People of Akoko and Igbara Oke etc in Ondo State are afraid of armed herdsmen. Just as residents of some parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, are now living in fear of kidnappers.

“Since the motives are not the same, strategies to tackle them too must be stratified in a manner that would be appropriate for the particular ones being dealt with.

“Of course, there can be extrapolation as some of those acts of terrorism can be inter-related. For instance, those who set houses ablaze could be doing so for both economic and territorial reasons and so on.

“Meetings should be convened with local leaders. Representatives of youths, religious bodies, artisans including representatives of identified marauders in the areas, where those unfortunate incidents are taking place should also be invited to the meetings. At such meetings, a carrot and stick approach has to be employed.”