ABISOYE JOHNSON
THERE was a clash between members of Ilana Omo Oodua and police operatives in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday, during a rally organised to create awareness and seek support for the actualisation of the Oduduwa nation.
The Group had gone ahead with the planned rally despite a stern warning by the Ogun State Police Command.
Scores of police operatives stormed the venue of the rally, front of the Alake of Egbaland’s palace, with five Armoured Personnel Carriers to stop the rally.
The agitators resisted the move, which led to the alleged arrest of about 11 of them, who were whisked away to the police headquarters at Eleweran.
Prof. Banji Akintoye, who leads the group, is at the forefront of the ongoing agitation for secession in Yorubaland.
The Command had, in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, alleged that the rally was being planned to destabilise the state.
However, Secretary, Media and Communications, Ilana Omo Oodua, Maxwell Adeleye, said members would go ahead with the rally.
He warned that any attempt to stop the rally would be considered as a declaration of war against the rights to self-determination and peaceful Assembly.
“We read, with total disbelief, a statement credited to the Ogun State Police Command that our Pro-Yoruba nation rally scheduled to hold in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital tomorrow, will not be allowed to hold. We want to believe the statement of the police is a joke,” he said.
“However, if the Police was serious about the threat, we want to let the authorities in Ogun State know that our rally will go ahead as scheduled because the police have no power under the law to deny us of our rights to self-determination and peaceful assembly,” he added.
It was, however, learnt that those who were arrested were later released.
One of the arrested protesters, who simply identified himself as Iyanda, told journalists that they were picked up as they were about to begin the rally.
The rally, which still held, was led by the Secretary-General, Ilana Omo Oodua, Opeoluwa Akinola, and Ogun State Coordinator, Taofeek Olawale.
Agitators danced round Abeokuta, lamenting the ordeals of the Yoruba people and singing Pro-Yoruba songs.
The Federal Government has, however, urged Nigerians to be mindful of those bent on disintegrating the nation for selfish reasons.
