Suspected agitators for the Yoruba Nation who were arrested for unlawful invasion of the Oyo State House of Assembly and Governor’s office, Ibadan, have maintained their stand on the actualization of their demand.
Twenty-one members of the group were paraded before the newsmen by the Commissioner of Police, Adebola Hamzat, at the Command Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, on Monday.
CP Hamzat described their action as criminal and warned other intending perpetrators to steer clear of the state.
He added that dangerous weapons and a photograph of Mrs. Modupe Abiola Onitiri were discovered by the suspects.
But two of the suspects remain adamant in their quest for the Yoruba Nation, inspired by their arrest and subsequent plan to prosecute them in accordance with the penal code.
A 55-year-old lecturer at the Federal College of Education, (Special) Oyo, and a 29-year-old mobile phone technician insisted that the actualization of Yoruba Nation is a done deal.
They made their stance known in an interview with the newsmen during the parade.
One of them said, ‘I’m part of the agitation, and I can’t deny it. Yoruba, as an indigenous nation, is a nation on its own. We have so many nations in Nigeria, and Yoruba is one of them.
“Oodua Nation leaders have taken every step and action that needed to be taken. So, we have embarked on a referendum, which involved 500 petitions signed by all Yorubas, and this has served as a referendum.
“Our leadership went to all Yoruba-speaking states to serve official letters written by our leaders, and we were given our own copy. After that is proclamation; after that, declaration, occupation, and notification to the world that Yoruba is an indigenous nation.
“We were at the Secretariat, Agodi, in Ibadan to celebrate and rejoice because of the new nation that was born. It is not a new thing that Yoruba is a nation, and we want to stand on our own. We have been together with Nigeria for over 100 years.
Also, another suspect said, “We all know that nothing is working in Nigeria, and things are hard for everyone except those in government. We were at the secretariat waiting for our leader to address us.
“We believe our leader knows much about the law. So, we are not afraid to join when we are called upon. Our leader told us that all challenges Yoruba are facing will be addressed if we achieve our aim.”
Meanwhile, CP Hamzat, in his brief, described the act as criminal, unpatriotic, and a clear case of treasonable felony and terrorism, which would be met with adequate sanctions.
He explained that the continued existence of Nigeria as a sovereign, indivisible entity is a task that must be accomplished, adding that “the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain.
“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, wards, protégés, and followers against being used by unpatriotic individuals to promote anarchy in the state and, by extension, the nation.
“I would like to use this medium to remind the criminally minded that the state is home to many responsible, hospitable, and extremely intelligent individuals who pride themselves on creativity, hard work, and resourcefulness.”
He, therefore, vowed that it would not be reduced under his watch to a playground for the criminally minded and obviously misguided individuals or groups who intend to distort the relative tranquilly enjoyed by the good people of the state.
The Commissioner of Police added that adequate security measures have been put in place to further secure the state.
These, according to him, include intelligence-led motorised patrols with relevant sister security services, intensive stop and search, surveillance routines around places of residence, national critical infrastructure, and raids to rid the state of criminal elements.
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