Oyo Secretariat Invasion: Nigerian Army arrests suspected Yoruba Nation agitators

The Nigerian Army said suspected Yoruba Nation agitators were arrested clad in foreign military camouflage with berets and armed with dangerous weapons.

Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested nine Yoruba Nation agitators who attacked the Oyo State Secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital, on Saturday, an official said.

The army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, a major-general, said in a statement on Sunday that the suspects were arrested clad in foreign military camouflage with berets and armed with dangerous weapons.

Apart from arresting nine suspects, Mr Nwachukwu said, the troops also recovered “one Semi Automatic Pump Action rifle and ammunition” from them.

He said troops responded swiftly upon receiving the news of the attack on the state government secretariat by the group which he said had invaded the location in buses and bikes.

According to him, the troops engaged in a shootout with suspects, whom he said were subsequently overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the soldiers.

While some members of the group fled, nine of them were apprehended by the troops, according to the Nigerian Army’s statement.

“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,” the statement stated.

No casualty has been reported yet.

The army assured Nigerians of its resolve to keep them safe and maintain peace and order in the region.

Meanwhile, prominent Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has distanced himself from Saturday’s invasion.

“I’ll implore the state government to do due diligence on the matter and figure out the identities of these impersonators and blackmailers,” he wrote in a disclaimer he posted on his Instagram handle on Saturday.

Read the Nigerian Army’s full statement below:

SITUATION REPORT ON INVASION OF OYO STATE SECRETARIAT AGODI

This is to notify the general public that today Saturday 13 April 2024, sequel to the report of an attack on the State Secretariat Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State, troops promptly responded to the incident and had contact with adherents of the Yoruba Nation dressed in foreign military camouflage with berets and armed with dangerous weapons in buses and motorbikes.

Upon encountering own 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.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU

Major General

Director Army Public Relations

13 April 2024