Governors in the Southwest and some major stakeholders in the region have condemned the recent incursion of Yoruba Nation agitators into Oyo State.
Last week, scores of masked men, some of whom were armed invaded the Oyo State Government Secretariat.
The individuals were said to have strategically positioned themselves at various locations within the Secretariat premises during the invasion. Some of the said agitators were subsequently arrested by security operatives.
They are reported to have forced their way into the government building after Ms Modupe Abiola Onitiri, the wife of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, Presidential election, declared the cessation of all Yoruba states from Nigeria.
Ms Onitiri, who is currently residing outside Nigeria, reportedly declared herself as the President of a new Sovereign State called the Yoruba Nation in a widely circulated video.
Leaders in the South-West geopolitical zone have condemned the development and are taking steps to prevent any uprising in the name of agitation in the region.
The original leaders of the Yoruba nation agitation, including Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, and Chief Banji Akintoye, have since distanced themselves from Onitiri and have called for her arrest.
However, some close associates of Abiola, who spoke with journalists on Monday, April 15, insist that Ms Onitiri was not one of Abiola’s officially recognized wives.
The South-West states are taking the situation seriously and have issued warnings against any form of agitation or attempts to overthrow democratically elected governors in the region.
Governor Seyi Makinde’s led government of Oyo State has since condemned the actions of the Yoruba Nation agitators.
The government sternly berated the group for attempting to take control of the state secretariat, labelling their action as treasonable felony.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, stated that investigations are ongoing and assured that there were no fatalities during the confrontation with the agitators.
“Attempting to barge into the hallowed chambers of the legislature and take it over with an arsenal of seven pump action submachine guns, over 700 live cartridges, is clearly an act of terrorism,” Daily Trust quoted Oyelade saying.
The commissioner noted that the governor’s office and the State House of Assembly were invaded on Saturday, emphasizing that the sponsors of this invasion have put themselves in serious trouble.