Persons agitation for a separate country – Yoruba Nation, out Nigeria have invaded the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi in Ibadan, the state capital with intent to seize it and occupy same.
Ibadan was the Headquarters of the Government of the Old Western Region comprising what have been designated today as Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Lagos, Edo and Delta States, where the late sage Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo was the first Premier.
The Daily Crucible reports that the invaders who were hooded positioned themselves at different locations within the Agodi area of Ibadan, giving a frightening sight to residents and road users for the better part Saturday morning until they were dislodged.
Although, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (retd.), did try to calm the situation but failed as the agitators were hell bent on hoisting their flag within the Secretariat and proclaim it their Headquarters.
Traders and residents around Bodija, Ikolaba, and Awolowo who were already settling down for the day’s activities to have hurriedly locked their shops and doors in panic while those about to open for the day’s business beat a quick retreat back home.
Security operatives on duty at the secretariat laboured without success to disperse them.
The unyielding agitators, largely youths who were dressed in military uniform, engaged operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), also known as Amotekun, the Police and Operation Burst personnel in gun battle and it was not until the arrival of more detachment of policemen from the state command and other anti-crime agencies in conjunction with members of the Nigerian Army, 2 Division Odogbo barracks, who stormed the place that the agitators were dislodged.
However, Yoruba Nation activists, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, and Banji Akintoye, a professor of History, have distanced themselves from the Saturday morning invasion of the Oyo State Government Secretariat by agitators.
Igboho, who spoke through his media aide, Olayemi Koiki, in a Facebook Live said, he was not aware and not part of it.
“I know nothing about it and I don’t know those behind it. If we want to organise a rally or any Yoruba Nation activity, we usually make an announcement beforehand.
“Any person that said he is agitating for Yoruba Nation and is going to attack government facilities, that person or group is on his own; I don’t know anything about it.”
Similarly, Professor Akintoye, the former leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, accused another separatist leader, Abiola Onitiri, of behind the invasion of Oyo state.
Akintoye said, “I have spoken to Sunday Igboho. Some people sent them to make sure that they disrupt the Yoruba self-determination struggle.
“I was informed a few minutes ago that some people who said they are followers of Onitiri have come to take over the government of Yorubaland, and that they have arrived in Ibadan. We in this struggle don’t act in that manner.”
