Afenifere, a prominent Yoruba socio-political organisation, has condemned the threat of US military intervention in Nigeria by President Donald Trump over the country’s insecurity and alleged persecution of Christians.

In the statement on Monday signed by Afenifere’s national publicity secretary, Prince Justice Faloye, and leader, HRH Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the group attributed the rising international condemnation of Nigeria’s insecurity to the government’s failure to implement state police and restructure the country for equity and peaceful coexistence, as recommended by the 2014 National Conference.

Afenifere regarded the decade-long delay in addressing these issues as “culpable gross negligence” by the government, resulting in thousands of unnecessary deaths.The organisation emphasised that the creation of state and local government police forces is essential for efficient security management, allowing communities to defend themselves.The group also criticised the Tinubu administration’s centralised governance approach, which Afenifere believes is counterproductive and has contributed to diplomatic challenges, including the lack of ambassadors in key countries like the US.

Afenifere demanded that the Tinubu administration immediately appoint ambassadors to Nigeria’s world embassies and implement state police to curb insecurity.The organisation warned against foreign military intervention, citing the historical precedent of colonisation, and appeals to Nigerians to unify against external threats and seek local solutions to sectarian and ethnic conflicts through restructuring.”President Tinubu should not allow foreign military humanitarian intervention to cause religious and ethnic wars due to negligence or lack of political will to restructure Nigeria for peace and equity.

We must not forget our history; it was the excuse of curbing Transatlantic slavery that prompted foreign military humanitarian intervention that led to our colonisation.”It is ironic that the influx of terrorists that partly led to the end of the Jonathan administration and the coming to power of the APC is now threatening our corporate existence due to the APC’s failure to restructure and implement state police.”Afenifere appeals to Nigerians to unify against foreign intervention and implores all Nigerians to look for local solutions to our sectarian and ethnic conflicts in restructuring.

“Afenifere and all peace-loving Nigerians hereby demand IMMEDIATE implementation of state police to curb insecurity, and the implementation of the 2014 Confab restructuring resolutions to ensure peace and unity. This would not only save lives but remove the threat of foreign intervention in Nigeria’s affairs that has been conducted by the carnage and its attendant chaotic situation observed even from far-flung lands of a general absence of governance arising from insecurity or of ungoverned spaces,” it said. (The Guardian)