Oyo invasion: Attackers dressed in foreign military camouflage — Army

•Launches manhunt for escapees

•Adeleke orders tight security in Osun

•Afenifere condemns invasion

•We’re not part of invasion —Yoruba youth group

SEQUEL to the invasion of the Oyo State House of Assembly and the Governor's Office, on Saturday, by suspected Yoruba Nation agitators, the Nigerian Army, has revealed that the invaders were dressed in foreign military camouflage with berets.

The Army also declared that it was on manhunt for the other attackers who escaped from the House of Assembly complex, due to the superior firepower of the military men.

The Army stated this in a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations of 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in Odogbo, Ibadan.

Recall that 20 suspects were arrested on Saturday according to the Police Public Relations Officer of the state Command, SP Adewale Osifeso.

The attackers had declared that it would, henceforth, be called the Democratic Republic of Yoruba.

Giving more details about the attackers, Nwachukwu said when the Army was alerted of the report of an attack on the State Secretariat Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State, troops promptly responded to the incident and had contact with them.

He said: "The adherents were dressed in foreign military camouflage with berets and armed with dangerous weapons in buses and motorbikes. 

"Upon encountering our troops, the Yoruba nation adherents engaged the troops in a shootout. Troops, utilizing superior firepower, successfully subdued the attackers, who subsequently retreated in disarray. As a result of this engagement, nine members of the irredentist group were apprehended, while one Semi Automatic Pump Action rifle and ammunition were recovered.

"Currently, troops are on the track of the fleeing adherents, and the situation is under control.

"We assure members of the public that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety and security of the general area.

"We urge the public to remain calm and vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the appropriate security agencies. The safety and security of the citizenry remain a priority, as we will continue to work tirelessly to maintain peace and order in the region.”

Meanwhile, security agents including the soldiers, Police, Civil Defense Corps and Amotekun are still keeping vigilance on the House of Assembly and the Governor's office.

 Adeleke orders tight security in Osun 

Following the invasion of the Oyo State Government Secretariat by suspected Yoruba nation agitators, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, yesterday, ordered that security be tightened around government establishments in the state.

The move, according to the governor was to curb similar occurrences by suspected agitators in the state.

The governor’s spokesperson, Mr Olawale Rasheed, in a statement, said Adeleke has instructed his aide on security to proceed with instruction effective immediately.

Some of the establishments where Governor Adeleke instructed that joint security should be deployed include the State Government Secretariat, the Government House, and other strategic government buildings including the headquarters of the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, OSBC.

According to the Governor, there is a need for rededication to the ideals of a united Nigeria with ongoing constitutional amendments to ensure a truly federal system in Nigeria.

He cited the movement of railways and electricity from exclusive to concurrent legislative list, noting that even the United States of America is still reforming its federal system.

While showing solidarity with his Oyo State counterpart, Governor Seyi Makinde, he urged the agitators to sheathe their swords, saying everyone must continue to realize the Nigeria of their dreams.

The statement reads: "These agitators should join the crusade for the reform of the federal system to ensure adjustments that give the states more autonomy and responsibilities.

"Nigeria's problems can only be resolved by dialogue within the constitutional framework, citing ongoing constitutional amendments that are restoring more powers to the states."

 Afenifere condemns invasion 

Reacting to the invasion, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere condemned the act saying violence is not a solution to observed shortcomings

Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Jare Ajayi, stated that those who took the said step did not act in the interest of the Yoruba people whom they alleged to be representing. 

Afenifere stated that there is no such thing as the Democratic Republic of the Yoruba. 

The statement reads: “Yoruba is an important component of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As is well-known, there cannot be a sovereign republic within an extant sovereign republic.  

“At the moment, Yoruba are indigenous in Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States and parts of Kwara, Kogi, Delta and Edo State of Nigeria, just as they are found in some other parts of the world. 

“But solutions to the shortcomings do not lie in violent divisions. Rather, what we should strive for is how the perceived wrongs in the country can be righted.

“Afenifere is of the strong view that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is taking steps to rejig Nigeria in a manner that would make the country become one that every citizen would be proud of soonest. Restructuring the country is a sure way of accelerating this.

“This is why we are relentless in our agitation for restructuring.”

Dismissing the invaders of the House of Assembly in Ibadan, Afenifere said: “How can a person or group of persons think that invading a State House of Assembly is tantamount to the creation of a Federal Republic? Genuine Yoruba normally think things through before they take actions, especially fundamental actions such as forming or declaring a nation. Yorubas don’t act that way. Rather, they apply wisdom and intellectualism in major steps they want to take. They apply tact. They demonstrate finesse and shun violence as much as possible. Examples of this attitude abound - going by their reactions to some major issues that occurred in the country in recent times.”

APC chieftain flays invasion

Also condeming the invation, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Dr Tonye Timi, insisted that Nigeria is one indivisible country.

Timi, a former member of the Delta State House of Assembly, said: “Concede that there are weaknesses in our constitution which assails the principle of federalism, principal of which is the resource controls, which does not allow the federating units to grow at their paces.

“My take is that Nigeria is still an emerging nation/state which will solve all such weaknesses through constitutional amendments.Nigeria is one indivisible country. The strength of Nigeria is in her diversity.

“I disagree with the people that believe that the underdevelopment of Nigeria is because of her size. 

"Nigeria is not as large as India which is doing extremely well as a democracy and running an extremely successful federal system of government.

“If, however, we chose to be radical, a confederal system may perhaps be better than this attempt at balkanisation, as in this instance the Oyo commotion.”

We’re not part of  invasion —Yoruba youth group

Meanwhile, the Yoruba Nation Youths, both at home and in the Diaspora, yesterday, disassociated themselves from the invasion of the Oyo Government Secretariat by some suspected agitators.

In a statement by its Leader, Prophet Ayodele Ologunloluwa, who condemned the attack on government facilities in Oyo State, said it was not acceptable to the Yoruba Nation.

Condemning the attack, the group said it was not part of the Iya Onitiri group that attacked the Secretariat.

Ologunloluwa said: “We don't know her and we don’t have anything to do with her. 

"Though it is true that we are agitating for a Yoruba Nation, we are doing it in a legitimate way and not as hoodlums or hooligans.

"We as a group condemn the attack. It is barbaric, callous and highly uncivilised. 

"We believe in the leadership of Prof Banji Akintoye and Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho who are the leaders of the Yoruba Nation. The attack is orchestrated by a group different from All Youths of Yoruba Nation in home and Diaspora.”