Plans Refuted As Gunmen Tried To Invade Oyo Govt House

 

 Some masked  men known as Yoruba Nation agitators on Saturday stormed the gate of the seat of Oyo  government attempting to hoist their flag.

The masked men were dressed in army camouflage and armed with rifles, stationed themselves at strategic points in the Secretariat shooting sporadically into the air to scare away passersby and traders.

While some were said to have manned the entrance of the Governor's office, the rest were reportedy trying to gain  entrance to the State House of Assembly Gate attempting to take over the House of Assembly and the Parliament Building.

Men of the Nigeria Police and other anti crime agencies including the Amotekun Corps stormed the entrance to the Secretariat in numerous patrol vans, trying to dislodge the armed men but to no avail.

 The situation was quelled when soldiers from the 2 Div, Army Headquarters, Odogbo stormed the Secretariat and dispersed the agitators who took to their heels.

Security operatives were said to have  tear-gassed the agitators making people to scamper for safety, just as road users enroute Secretariat to Mokola were diverted along Customs Junction as the Secretariat-Queen Elizabeth Road had been cut off from free flow of traffic.

It was gathered that the efforts of the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (retired) to calm the situation upon sighting the masked men were futile as the unidentified agitators insisted on hoisting their flag in the Secretariat. 

Shop owners, traders and residents around Bodija, Ikolaba, enroute Awolowo were said to have quickly locked up their shops and doors to avoid being caught up in the melee.

Report later had it that the soldiers arrested some of the agitators and whisked them away.

Reacting to the development, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Adewole Osifeso (SP) confirmed the incident, saying that it was some separatist group within the Yoruba Nation Agitation Group that stormed the Secretariat in a bid to take over the government.

 In a statement,  Osifeso said: "The Suspects, who were on Military Camouflages came heavily armed in an unregistered Silver Coloured Nissan Urban Caravan Bus containing Cutlasses, Pump Action Rifles, Cartridges, assorted charms and an O'dua Nation Agitation Flag.

"Thankfully, they were overpowered and completely suppressed by Officers and Men of the Command  in concert with sister security agencies who acted in swift response to intelligence gathered in accordance with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to the situation.

In all, (20) Twenty Suspects have been arrested in possession of; (3) Three Pump Action Guns, (291)Two Hundred and Ninety-One life Cartridges, (2) Two Expended Cartridges, (67) Sixty-Seven Cutlasses, (5) Five Bullet Proof Vest, (6) Six Pair of Boots, (10) Ten Megaphone (Public Address System),(3) Three Oodua Styles Beret Caps, (7) Seven Belts, (11) Eleven Oodua Nation Army Camouflage Uniforms, (1) One Unregistered Nissan Urban Caravan Bus and (3) Three TVS Motor Motorcycles.

"While declaring this act as criminal, unpatriotic and a clear case of treasonable felony & terrorism which would be met with adequate sanctions under the laws of the land, the Command assures the good citizens of Oyo State that it remains unwavering to the protection of their lives and property", he said.