Yoruba Nation Agitation: Lecturer Among 21 Suspects Paraded by Oyo State Police

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Hazmat Adebola, paraded 21 suspected Yoruba Nation agitators who invaded the state Governor’s Office and the House of Assembly on Saturday morning, describing the act as criminal, unpatriotic, and a clear case of treasonable felony and terrorism that would be met with adequate sanctions.

Among the paraded suspects was a 55-year-old lecturer at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, Alabi Ogundeji, who declared that he had no regrets about participating in the invasion. Also paraded was a 29-year-old phone repairer, Ademola Adeniyi, who said he did not regret joining the struggle. The Yoruba Nation agitators had invaded the Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, in Ibadan, on Saturday.

Speaking with journalists, Ogundeji insisted that their actions were lawful under both Nigerian and international laws. He said, “Yoruba as an indigenous nation is a nation on its own. We have so many nations in Nigeria, and Yoruba is one of them.”

Adeniyi added, “We all know that nothing is working in Nigeria and things are hard for everyone, except those in government. Our leader told us that all challenges Yoruba are facing shall be addressed if we achieve our aim.”

The Commissioner of Police, Hamzat Adebola, described the act as criminal, unpatriotic, and a clear case of treasonable felony and terrorism, which would be met with adequate sanctions. He emphasized the continued existence of Nigeria as a sovereign indivisible entity, declaring that “The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain.”

Earlier, the Oyo State Government described the invasion as treasonable, condemning the act and stating that there were better ways of agitation other than bloodshed.

Meanwhile, the Corps Commander of Amotekun Corps in Osun State, Brig. Gen. Bashir Adewinmbi (retd), warned against any unlawful gathering under the guise of Yoruba Nation agitation in any part of the state, stating that Amotekun would not allow such protests in Osun State. Adewinmbi emphasized that Nigeria is a Yoruba Nation indirectly under a Yoruba man, and agitation for a separate Yoruba Nation is unnecessary.

The paraded suspects are Alabi Ogundeji, a lecturer at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo; Adeyemo Oluwaseun, Adeyemo Peter, Amos Ogundeji, Ayanwale Rofiayat, Olaleye Mathew, Fatoki Anthony, Muritala Abere, Adepoju Ismaila, Fatunmbi Wasiu, Isaac Friday, Ayanwale Saburi, Elegbede Adebola, Adedamola Deniyi, Ojo Olufemi, Ajani Ezekiel, Adejumo Lateef, Ayoola David, Adesokan Hammed, Salawudeen Wahab, and Ademola Adeniyi.