My abductors have 55 camps across South-West states – Afenifere youth leader

Eniola Ojajuni, the recently released Afenifere National Youth President, has revealed that his abductors have established at least 55 camps across the South-West, strategically positioned to facilitate their operations.

In a statement released on Sunday, Ojajuni, who was held captive for 12 days, disclosed that the majority of these camps are located in Ondo State, followed by Ekiti, Osun, and Ogun states.

He urged the government to conduct thorough security sweeps across forests in Edo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ibilo, and Lagos states.

Reflecting on his harrowing experience during captivity, the Afenifere youth leader shared how the kidnappers openly discussed their plans to escalate abductions in both Ondo and Lagos states.

“The criminals have established well-organised kidnapping camps across South-West Nigeria, strategically positioned for their operations: Ondo State – 27 camps; Ekiti State – 16 camps; Osun State – seven camps; Ogun State – five camps,” he said.

“During my captivity, the kidnappers boasted of their plans to intensify abductions in Ondo and Lagos states, citing their hidden camps in these regions. They also revealed details of their operations along the Sagamu–Ijebu Ode Road, near Oso-Sa Ijebu, weeks before my abduction.”

He specifically called on the Ondo State government to take urgent action to dismantle the criminal networks operating in the region.

“The Ondo State government, in particular, has been criticised for its lack of urgency in addressing this crisis,” Ojajuni remarked. “The growing audacity of these criminals must not go unchecked. Immediate action is needed to restore security and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

He further pledged to provide firsthand intelligence, gained during his time in captivity, to aid in dismantling the kidnappers’ operations.

Ojajuni also stressed the need for more security checkpoints along highways and forest borders to curb the rising criminal activities.

“The Nigerian government must act swiftly and decisively to combat this crisis by deploying additional security personnel to high-risk areas, establishing more security checkpoints along highways and forest borders, enhancing intelligence-gathering and surveillance operations, and identifying and prosecuting collaborators aiding these criminals,” he urged.

He commended the Inspector General of Police for initiating an intelligence-driven rescue operation and appreciated the swift intervention of the Nigeria Forest Team. However, he emphasised that more efforts are required.

“This intelligence should serve as a wake-up call to all security agencies and state governments in the South-West. If urgent measures are not taken, more innocent lives will be at risk,” Ojajuni stated.

Ojajuni’s abduction on February 17, 2025, while travelling from Ondo State to Abuja, sparked widespread outrage and calls for his release.

As the days passed, the kidnappers released pictures and videos of Ojajuni, showing him in distress and pleading for Nigerians to raise an N100m ransom to save his life.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, responded by deploying officers from the Intelligence Response Team to secure Ojajuni’s release.