Yoruba nation activist Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, and the leader of the Ilana Omo Oodua movement, Professor Banji Akintoye, on Saturday, distanced themselves from some suspected gunmen who invaded the Oyo State government secretariat, Agodi Ibadan, under the guise of the Yoruba nation group.
Recall that hoodlums, dressed in army camouflage and allegedly armed with pump-action rifles and other weapons, reportedly stormed the premises of the Oyo State House of Assembly in the morning and attempted to hoist the Yoruba nation flag. They were repelled by a combined team of policemen, military personnel, and operatives of the Amotekun security agency, engaging in a gun duel that caused tension around the secretariat complex, Bodija, and other adjoining neighborhoods.
Reacting to the attack, Adeyemo, in a press statement forwarded to journalists, distanced himself and his group from the incident, urging the state governor, Seyi Makinde, to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. He condemned the gunmen for their unlawful and senseless acts, stating, “Governor Seyi Makinde should carry out a thorough investigation to ascertain the motive of the invasion, and the people behind it should be arrested and prosecuted.”
Similarly, Igboho, reaffirming his commitment to peace and security in the Southwest and Nigeria in general, denounced the development. He also tasked security agencies “to ensure a thorough investigation into the attack and diligently prosecute the sponsors and criminal elements behind its execution.”
Likewise, Professor Banji Akintoye, the leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, deplored the violent invasion of the Oyo State government secretariat, describing it as absurd and barbaric. He emphasized that the Yoruba nation agitation he supports has been peaceful, and the violent incident had nothing to do with their struggle for self-determination.
Akintoye accused a splinter group of the Yoruba nation agitation of being behind the gunmen’s invasion of the Oyo State government secretariat. He stressed the importance of peaceful means in seeking self-determination, emphasizing that violence is not part of their approach to the cause.
