Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested nine Yoruba Nation agitators who attacked the Oyo State Secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital, on Saturday, according to official’s report.
The army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, a major-general, said in a statement on Sunday that the suspects were arrested clad in foreign military camouflage with berets and armed with dangerous weapons.
Besides the arrest, Mr Nwachukwu also said, the troops recovered “one Semi-Automatic Pump Action rifle and ammunition” from them.
He added that troops responded swiftly upon receiving the news of the attack on the state government secretariat by the group which he said had invaded the location in buses and bikes.
According to him, the troops engaged in a shootout with suspects, whom he said were subsequently overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the soldiers.
While some members of the group fled, nine of them were apprehended by the troops, according to the Nigerian Army’s statement.
“As a result of this engagement, nine members of the irredentist group were apprehended, while one Semi-Automatic Pump Action rifle and ammunition were recovered.
“Currently, troops are on the track of the fleeing adherents, and the situation is under control,” the statement stated.
No casualty has been reported yet.
The army assured Nigerians of its resolve to keep them safe and maintain peace and order in the region.
Meanwhile, prominent Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has distanced himself from Saturday’s invasion.
“I’ll implore the state government to do due diligence on the matter and figure out the identities of these impersonators and blackmailers,” he wrote in a disclaimer he posted on his Instagram handle on Saturday.
Read full statement
SITUATION REPORT ON INVASION OF OYO STATE SECRETARIAT AGODI
This is to notify the general public that today Saturday 13 April 2024, sequel to the report of an attack on the State Secretariat Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State, troops promptly responded to the incident and had contact with adherents of the Yoruba Nation dressed in foreign military camouflage with berets and armed with dangerous weapons in buses and motorbikes.
Upon encountering own troops, the Yoruba nation adherents engaged the troops in a shootout. Troops, utilizing superior firepower, successfully subdued the attackers, who subsequently retreated in disarray. As a result of this engagement, nine members of the irredentist group were apprehended, while one Semi-Automatic Pump Action rifle and ammunition were recovered.
Currently, troops are on the track of the fleeing adherents, and the situation is under control.
We assure members of the public that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety and security of the general area.
We urge the public to remain calm and vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the appropriate security agencies. The safety and security of the citizenry remain a priority, as we will continue to work tirelessly to maintain peace and order in the region.
Meanwhile Yoruba Groups Disassociate Themselves From Attackers
The Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, the apex body of the Yoruba self-determination groups, has disowned the attackers of the Oyo State House Assembly and the state secretariat at Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital, on Saturday, describing the suspects as ‘hoodlums’ trying to hide under the foliage of the association.
In a statement on Sunday by its General Secretary, Yemi Akindele, titled, ‘Important disclaimer,’ the group berated the attackers who claimed to be members of the Yoruba Nation agitators.
It stated that the attack by the impostors was needless and uncalled for.
The statement read, “The attention of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide has been drawn to the unfortunate incident of a needless attack on the Oyo State House of Assembly by hoodlums disguised as Yoruba Nation agitators on the 13 April 2024.
“The entire membership of the group, the umbrella body representing all agitating groups under the leadership of the founder and chairman, Prof. Emeritus Banji Akintoye, hereby denies any knowledge of such individuals and wishes to inform the public that the attackers are not members of Ilana Omo Oodua worldwide.
“These criminal elements are not known to us and, as such, are not part of any genuine agitating groups demanding freedom for the Yoruba people.”
The group noted that its movement was devoid of any form of violence or confrontation with any arm of the government.
It said that self-determination was backed by international law and committed to achieving it without resorting to war.
It added that all rallies organised by genuine agitating groups in Yorubaland have been conducted with proper notifications, peacefully and without any form of violence.
“We, therefore, condemn the needless attack on the Oyo State House of Assembly facility and urge the government to thoroughly investigate the incident, expose the sponsors and collaborators, and charge them with treasonable felony and terrorism.
“This action will serve as a deterrent to others who might contemplate such a deplorable act in the future,” the statement added.
Oyo Global Forum condemns the invasion
The Oyo Global Forum has also condemned the invasion of the Oyo State Government secretariat and House of Assembly complex in Ibadan by an armed group purportedly seeking the secession of Yourbaland from Nigeria.
In a statement by its chairman, Taiwo Adebayo, and public relations officer, Mojeed Agboola, the OGF commended
The effective inter-agency collaboration involving the army, police, Amotekun, and government security advisors that led to the foiling of the attack and the arrest of the armed group.
It noted that the style of the invasion and the use of military camouflage with badges suggested that they had been organising without detection and preemptive actions. It said that this calls for the need to enhance intelligence gathering and systems.
The OGF also warned against any action by any group that would lead to the erasure of the substantial peace and stability being enjoyed in Oyo State.
“Freedoms of expression and association remain fundamental rights in the country, but nobody should resort to violence to pursue any agenda. We call on Governor Seyi Makinde and the security establishment to ensure a thorough investigation that would not only lead to lawful consequences but also help counter such violent tendencies moving forward,” it said.
“Freedoms of expression and association remain fundamental rights in the country, but nobody should resort to violence to pursue any agenda. We call on Governor Seyi Makinde and the security establishment to ensure a thorough investigation that would not only lead to lawful consequences but also help counter such violent tendencies moving forward,” it said.
CPPM wants attackers prosecuted
The Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM), on Sunday, condemned the attack on the Oyo State government secretariat by a group of hoodlums, describing it as an “act of terrorism.”
In a statement by its Executive Director, Nelson Ekujumi, CPPM commended the security agencies for rising to the occasion in apprehending the terrorists before they could unleash mayhem in Oyo State in particular and Nigeria in general.
“We view this reprehensible terrorist conduct by the hoodlums called Yoruba nation agitators as an act of terrorism against the Nigerian state, which must be confronted with the full wrath of the law,” the statement read.
The group urged the security agencies to dig deeper into the activities of the terrorist association called Yoruba nation agitators, who have assaulted and undermined national security and were warming up to be like other terrorist groups such as IPOB/ESN and Boko Haram.
CPPM warned that Nigeria as a country cannot afford to allow the threat to national security by another terrorist group in the name of Yoruba nation agitators.
It called for the venting of the full wrath of the law on the terrorists before they develop into monsters.
