•••As Police Parade Federal Government College Lecturer, 20 Other Suspects
•••Recover Guns, Flags, Cutlasses, Others
Some suspected Yoruba Nation agitators that were arrested on Saturday at the Oyo state government Secretariat have fingered one Mrs Modupe Onitiri Abiola as the brain behind the illegal invasion.
No fewer than 21 suspected agitators including one female, one lecturer of the Federal Government College Oyo, and three elderly men who are in their late sixties and seventies were on Monday paraded at the Oyo State Police Command Headquarters, Eleyele Ibadan for their alleged involvements in forceful taking over the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi Ibadan.
Recall that the suspected agitators were on Saturday in Military camouflage, masked up, armed with rifles and other dangerous weapons stormed Out state government Secretariat with the aim of taking over the State House of Assembly.
Addressing journalists at the command Headquarters, the state police commissioner, CP Adebola Hamzat noted that it is pertinent as law enforcement to provide the General Public especially through our revered Media partners with a detailed account of what transpired with specific emphasis on arrests and exhibits recovered based on verifiable facts and truth.
CP. Adebola Hamzat said, “on Saturday, 13/04/2024 at about 0855hrs, information was received that some men dressed in military-like camouflage, armed with pump action semi-automatic rifles, riding on motorcycles, were sighted moving into the main city from Olomi axis of Ibadan. At about 0915hrs, the hoodlums later known as Yoruba Nation Agitation Group were trailed to the State Secretariat, spreading from the Flyover to within the Premises of the Governor’s Office, and hoisted their Flag at the House of Assembly, proclaiming the creation of a “democratic republic of the Yoruba.”
“With Police re-inforcement, the miscreants were warned to dispatch. The agitators turned violent and opened fire on the Police and a detachment of Amotekun corps present. The Police responded and were joined by Operation Burst Patrol teams and Personnel of other security agencies who suppressed the treason and dealt with the agitators in line with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). A Total of (21) Twenty-One Suspects were arrested, (7) Seven rifles made up of (5) Five English Pump Action semi-automatic rifles, (2) Two Wooden double barreled guns and other items of exhibits as displayed, were recovered.”
“While declaring this act as criminal, unpatriotic and a clear case of treasonable felony and terrorism to be meted with adequate sanctions through purposeful prosecutions, the Command re-assures the good people of Oyo State that it remains solidly unwavering to the protection of their lives and property as constitutionally required by the laws of the land.”
“The continued existence of Nigeria as a sovereign indivisible entity is a task that must be accomplished. The labor of our heroes past shall never be in vain. Oyo State Police Command will be unrelenting in ensuring the continued united corporate existence of Nigeria as a country.”
“As a Parent, I enjoin other parents, guardians and leaders in every sphere of political, religious and socio-economic influence to prevail on their children, ward, protégés and followers against being used by unpatriotic individuals to promote anarchy in the State and by extension, Nation.”
“In addition, I would like to use this medium to remind the criminally minded that Oyo State is home to many responsible, hospitable and extremely intelligent individuals who pride themselves with creativity, hard-work and resourcefulness. Under my watch, it would not be reduced to a playground for the criminally minded and obviously misguided individuals or group who intend making their livelihood from distorting the relative tranquility enjoyed by the good people of the State.”
“To this end, while the security architecture of the Command has been immediately reviewed to enable it tackle the present day realities, the Oyo State Police Command enjoins residents to be generous with information and cooperate with the Command in a bid to rid the State of Criminal elements whose intent is to propagate their separatist agenda.”
“In the same vein, I have ordered Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Heads of Tactical teams and formations throughout the Command to lead Security Operations from the Frontline.”
“These shall include; Intelligence led Motorized Patrols with relevant Sister Security Services, Intensive Stop and Search, Surveillance routines around places of residence, National critical infrastructures and raids to rid the state of criminal elements.”
“Patriotic Citizens of Oyo State, the business of Security is for us all. If you see something, say something and the Police will immediately do something.” Adebola Hamzat said.
While speaking with journalits one of the suspects, Ismaila Malomo, aged 69, confirmed that he was the one that volunteered to drive the agitators down to the Secretariat all the way from Idi-Iroko in Ogun state.
He said, “I drove the bus, it’s my bus, I received a message from my friend here that one of our sponsors named Modupe Abiola Onitiri has gave us an order to go and take over Oyo state government Secretariat and wait there till she comes around and pronounce the Republic Nation Of Oodua.”
“We have several people as our sponsors, but they’re in diaspora, the one that I can recollect for now are Modupe Abiola Onitiri, one Micky, and there are some others too, we do have virtual meetings frequently with these people, and at the last meeting they told us that they’ve secured a sovereignty from the United Nations and they’ve sent letters to all the concerned bodies that very soon they will come to Ibadan to formally declare a Yoruba Nation, that’s why I followed them down here, I’m so sorry for my actions.” Malomo said.
Another suspect, Alabi Ogundeji aged 55, a Lecturer at the Federal Government College Oyo said, our leaders have taking necessary steps and actions before we went to the state government Secretariat, we did not went there to kill or injured anybody, we went there to declare a Yoruba Nation which is our right.”
“Our leaders have taken all the steps they ought to have taken on this issue, they’ve embarked on referendum, they’ve issued almost 500 petitions, it was signed and served to all the Yoruba speaking states, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Lagos, Ekiti, Kogi and Kwara states, all these states were served with official letters, we also have our own copies too, so our actions at the Oyo State government Secretariat is legal, we only there to express happiness and joy over the proclamation of Yoruba Nation, we are not there to kill nor I justed anybody. Alabi said.
Other Suspects paraded at the police headquarters are Adeyemo Joseph Oluwaseun, aged 29; Adeyemo Peter, aged 75; Amos Oluwatuyi Ogundeji, 45; Ayanwale Rofiayat (Female), aged 25, Olaleye Mathew, 54; Fatoki Anthony, 34; Muritala Abere, 40; Adepoju Ismaila,45; Fatunmbi Wasiu, aged 30; Isaac Friday, 27; Ayanwale Saburi, 28; Elegbede Adebola, 27; Adedamola Deniyi, 29; Ojo Olufemi,52; Ajani Ezekiel, aged 42; Adejumo Lateef, 60; Ayoola David,.40; Adesokan Hammed, 38; Salawudeen Wahab, aged 56.
Exhibits recovered from the suspects include, one English Pump Action, two locally made barrel guns, two security jackets, thirty pieces of torch lights, five African horse tail, forty nine bells, seven pieces of walkie talkies and accessories, four elepaq generating sets, four mega phones, two 12.5kg gas cylinders, sic executive chairs, one green coloured Ford vehicle with registration number AGL 04 YG, One Man ‘O’War ID Card belonging to one Muritala Abere, one first Bank and one GTB ATM cards, two photography of one Modupe Abiola Onitiri, four standing fans and one incomplete ox standing fan, nine pieces of Electric Garet, two prices of hands gloves, two hundred and sixty-one pieces of belts, twelve Yoruba Nation flags, nine pieces of Big photo frames, two big flags of Oodua Nation, four hundred and five live cartridges, seventy two pairs of camouflage uniforms, one hundred and ninety nine pairs of plain green uniform among others.
The state Commissioner of Police, CP. Adebola Hamzat maintained that there was no casualties recorded during the gun duel with the agitators. He noted that the agitators committed treasonable felony and it’s punishable under the law, stressing that the investigation is still ongoing.