Yoruba Nation: South-West governments and security agencies have intensified security measures around government facilities to prevent any potential disruption of law and order by groups pushing their agendas on the states.
Authorities have issued warnings, stating that they will not tolerate any form of insecurity and cautioning individuals identifying as Yoruba Nation agitators to choose peace or face consequences.
This response follows a recent incident where separatist Yoruba Nation agitators, armed with rifles and clad in army camouflage, attempted to take control of the Oyo State Government Secretariat in Ibadan. Security forces intervened, leading to the arrest of 20 agitators.
Similar incidents have occurred in the past, such as the hijacking of Radio Nigeria’s airwaves in Ibadan by Yoruba Nation agitators. The movement advocates for the secession of the Yoruba people from Nigeria, a stance opposed by the Federal Government.
The government has taken action against prominent figures associated with the movement, including Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, who fled Nigeria following a raid on his home in Ibadan. He was later apprehended in Benin Republic.
The recent events have prompted neighboring states like Osun, Ekiti, and Ogun to enhance security measures to prevent similar incidents. Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed the reinforcement of security around government structures to maintain public peace and security.
He advocated for a renewed commitment to the principles of a unified Nigeria, emphasizing the ongoing constitutional amendments aimed at establishing a truly federal system. He urged agitators to participate in the campaign for federal system reform, which would grant states more autonomy and responsibilities.
According to a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, security personnel were deployed to designated areas to prevent a recurrence of the incident in Oyo State, particularly in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State.
The governor expressed solidarity with his counterpart in Oyo State, urging agitators to seek peaceful means of addressing grievances and supporting President Bola Tinubu’s efforts toward federal reform.
Yemisi Opalola, the spokesperson for the Osun State government, assured that lawlessness would not be tolerated, regardless of the perpetrators’ status. She emphasized the state’s commitment to maintaining peace and urged residents to refrain from any unlawful activities.
In Ekiti State, the government assured that measures were in place to uphold law and order. The Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, stated that security forces were well-equipped to address insecurity and emphasized the importance of maintaining peace.
The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeniran Akinwale, reassured residents of their safety, stating that there was no cause for alarm.
Likewise, in Ogun State, security measures were activated to prevent a recurrence of the Oyo incident. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, AIG Olusola Subair (retd.), disclosed that security agencies were on high alert, with efforts underway to apprehend individuals associated with the Yoruba Nation agitators.
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, warned against any attempt to disrupt peace, affirming that the police would not tolerate lawlessness. He stressed the readiness of the police to maintain order and urged agitators to desist from violence. Continue Reading
