- By Halimah Olamide
Leaders of the Yoruba Nation Movement, Mr. Sunday Igboho and Prof Banji Akintoye have distanced themselves from Saturday’s invasion of the Oyo State Government secretariat Agodi, Ibadan the state capital.
NPO Reports that some people presenting themselves as members of the Yoruba Nation movement had invaded the secretariat and the House of Assembly located inside the secretariat to hoist the flag of the movement. Men of the Nigerian Army and the police had however curtailed the incursion of the men some of who escaped arrest. Some of those who were arrested were taken away while some arms and other dangerous weapons were taken from them. Reacting to the incident, Igboho, speaking through his media aide, Olayemi Koiki, in a Facebook Live said, he was not aware and not part of it.
“I know nothing about it and I don’t know those behind it. If we want to organise a rally or any Yoruba Nation activity, we usually make an announcement beforehand,” he said.
“Any person that said he is agitating for Yoruba Nation and is going to attack government facilities, that person or group is on his own; I don’t know anything about it,” he added.
Professor Akintoye,who also spoke through the same channel, alleged that another separatist leader, Abiola Onitiri, was behind the incident in Oyo state. Akintoye is also the former leader of the Ilana Omo Oodua.
Akintoye said, “I have spoken to Sunday Igboho. Some people sent them to make sure that they disrupt the Yoruba self-determination struggle.”
“I was informed a few minutes ago that some people who said they are followers of Onitiri have come to take over the government of Yorubaland, and that they have arrived in Ibadan. We in this struggle don’t act in that manner.”