Yoruba groups disown attackers of Oyo govt secretariat, call for investigation, prosecution

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.

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

“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.

Akintoye disowns agitators

Yoruba leader Banji Akintoye, a professor, has also disowned the Yoruba Nation agitators who invaded the Oyo State government secretariat in Ibadan.

He said the behaviour of the so-called agitators was insane.

While noting that though the Yoruba wanted to have their independent nation, he stressed that they would not go violent with it.

Mr Akintoye maintained that those going violent with the actualisation of the Yoruba Nation wanted to destroy the struggle, pointing out that the agitators had nothing to do with the real Yoruba struggle.

“We thank God that law enforcement agencies were able to handle them. I am speaking on behalf of the struggle for the Yoruba Nation. There is no need for us to go violent. We are not part of the violence that anyone is propagating. Everything we do must be peaceful. All our acts are peaceful,” he added.

Yoruba Oodua Union expresses displeasure

In its reaction, the Yoruba Oodua Union (YOU) also distanced itself from the Ibadan incident.

It, however, stressed that regardless of a Yoruba man being the president at the moment, the current system of governance in Nigeria was unacceptable, skewed in favour of a particular ethnic group over others and was retarding growth and development.

A founding member of YOU, Sam Agbetuyi, also urged the Federal Government and the Oyo State government to do everything possible to investigate where the acclaimed leader of the perpetrators of the Ibadan attack, Abiola Onitiri, lives and why the action.

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.

ALSO READ: Oyo Secretariat Invasion: Nigerian Army arrests suspected Yoruba Nation agitators

“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.