The police arrested the Yoruba Nation suspects and said they found charms on them .
A day before the inauguration of Nigeria’s new president, Bola Tinubu, separatists hijacked a federal station in Ibadan, Oyo State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The five separatists, agitating for an independent Yoruba Nation, hijacked Amuludun FM station in the Oyo State capital, the police told NAN. The police arrested the suspects and said they found charms on them although they did not hurt any staff of the radio station. The Yoruba Nation agitators are believed to be a minority in south-west Nigeria, where Mr Tinubu is from. The president-elect is not known to have any relationship with the group and has repeatedly pledged to contribute to the growth and indivisibility of Nigeria. Read the NAN story announcing the arrest of the agitators below. The Police Command in Oyo State has arrested five Yoruba Nation agitators who allegedly forcefully hijacked Amuludun FM radio station in Ibadan with the intent to declare liberation from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agitators stormed the federal radio station around 6.00 a.m. on Sunday, seized the GSM phones of workers and went on air, proclaiming the establishment of a Yoruba Nation and secession from Nigeria. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Williams, paraded the suspects at the Command Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan on Sunday..Mr Williams said that operatives of the command, while on intelligence-driven patrols, got a distress call that some members of a group driven by a separatist agenda, had forcefully hijacked a radio broadcast station, Amuludun 99.1 FM, located around Moniya, Ibadan with the intent to declare liberation from the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He said that the command responded swiftly in a well-coordinated rescue operation and arrested the suspects. Mr Willams said that no personnel from the establishment or any other persons were hurt in the incident. The commissioner of police said that he had detailed an investigation team, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department, to demystify the circumstances around the incident The team was also directed to expand the network of arrests through painstaking intelligence-driven investigation. He declared the act as criminal, unpatriotic and a clear case of terrorism which would be met with adequate sanctions under the laws of the land.
“The Oyo State Police Command remains unwavering and committed to the statutory constitutional requirements of protecting lives and property and as well preserving law and order, even as the state and indeed nation geared up for Monday’s inauguration of its elected leaders.
“I assure the good citizens of the state that the security architecture of the command, in concert with relevant sister agencies, has been strategically modified for optimum effectiveness for tomorrow’s epoch-making ceremony and beyond,” stated Commissioner Adebowale Williams. He emphasized that the security measures in the state had been reinforced to address any potential security challenges that could jeopardize the nation’s stability.
Commissioner Williams urged parents, guardians, and influential leaders to intervene and dissuade their children from participating in any activities that could disrupt Monday’s inauguration. He warned that severe sanctions would be imposed on those who engage in such actions, along with any other unpatriotic individuals with similar motives.
The suspects apprehended during the incident were found in possession of various charms and clothing items bearing the inscription: “Yoruba Nation Police, Yoruba Nation Army.” According to one of the suspects, they were instructed by an individual known as Black Lion to seize the radio station and declare the establishment of the Yoruba Nation. The suspect claimed that they contacted the person through phone calls and that he resides outside of Nigeria. Furthermore, the suspect revealed that they were not promised any monetary reward for their actions and had traveled from Enugu State to Ibadan specifically for this purpose.
The Oyo State Police Command has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the incident, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department. The command remains resolute in its commitment to maintaining law and order and protecting the lives and property of the citizens as the nation prepares for the inauguration of its elected leaders.
