No fewer than 18 suspected Yoruba Nation agitators have been arrested by the police for attempting to seize the Oyo State House of Assembly building located near the State Government Secretariat yesterday.
The masked men, dressed in Army camouflage and armed with rifles, occupied strategic points in the Secretariat area.
While some manned the entrance to the Governor’s Office, others were seen at the House of Assembly’s gate and the main entrance, sending shockwaves across the area.
Security operatives fired tear gas canisters to disperse them, leading to sporadic gunshots that caused panic among residents and motorists.
Efforts by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security to calm the situation were futile, as the agitators insisted on hoisting their flag in the Secretariat.
However, the arrival of soldiers from the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army changed the narrative, with some of the agitators fleeing the scene.
Meanwhile, In a video, a woman claiming to be the widow of late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, Modupe Onitiri-Abiola, purportedly declared the “Democratic Republic of Yoruba” as a sovereign nation, saying they have left Nigeria since November 2022.
However, notable Yoruba Nation proponents, including Professor Banji Akintoye and Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho), dissociated themselves from the woman and the group, stating they were not aware of the incident and did not approve of such an act.
Akintoye identified Onitiri Abiola as the mastermind behind the invasion, denying that the invaders were fighting for the interest of the Yoruba Nation. Igboho also stated that he would never be involved in such an act without informing stakeholders and collaborating with leaders.
When contacted, State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, disclosed that no fewer than 18 suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident, and a highly powered investigation team has been detailed to probe the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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