By Christoper Oji and Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Some suspected Yoruba nation agitators, in the early hours of yesterday, sprang up a surprise, by hijacking a radio station, Amuludun 99.1 FM of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), with the intent to declare liberation from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
But it could not be immediately confirmed whether the invaders were members of self-determination group for Yoruba nation. But five among the invaders were arrested by security agencies and paraded by the police in Ibadan yesterday.
The radio station is situated at J&P Area of Moniya in Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan, Oyo State. The agitators wore green polo shirts, while others also wore black polo shirts. The green shirts have ‘Yoruba Nation Army’ on its back as inscriptions, while the black shirts also have on its back the inscriptions: Yoruba Nation Police.
About 20 suspected members of Yoruba nation agitators reportedly stormed the radio station, and hijacked it around 5:30a.m. They reportedly came with various forms of charms, amulets, guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
In another development the Lagos State Police Command foiled an attempt by the agitators to take over the Alausa Police Division in Ikeja.
Already, two people have been arrested in connection with the crime.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer SP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the arrest, saying that at about 5.35 a.m. on Sunday, a group of men numbering about 15, under the aegis of Yoruba Nation Agitators, allegedly stormed the Alausa Police Division.
He said that on arrival, they started taking videos of the station with their phones and chantting “No more Nigeria Police Force again and that Yoruba Nation has taken over in Yorubaland.
“In the course of their protest, they assaulted some officers in the division, who attempted to disperse them .Police reinforcement was promptly despatched, and two of the agitators were arrested, while others escaped upon arrival of the police reinforcement. Various charms, cutlasses and the insignia of the group were recovered from them. The Yoruba Nation Agitators claimed they came to inform the station with an official letter that they have been approved by the United Nations,” he said. He said that police security in and around the station, and the entire Alausa vicinity have been upscaled as stable order restored.
Hundeyin said that detailed investigation has already commenced, stressing that the suspects volunteered valuable information will give deeper insight into the membership and future plans of the group.
He said that the information provided by the suspects would aid the police in undertaking operations to deal with their threat proactively.
The staff of the radio station who were on duty were held hostage, until the agitators were overpowered by combined security agencies. The hijackers, during the siege, were said to have gone on air and transmitted their prepared agenda to the airwaves, saying Yoruba nation is no longer part of Nigeria, and that the United Nations (UN) would announce Yoruba nation as a sovereign country soon.
A source, who works at the station said: “That is what we witnessed this morning. They hijacked the station around 6am. But they had been at the station before that time. They came with various forms of charms. They woke our staff, who were sleeping. Some of our staff have fled. We are yet to see some of our staff. But the security personnel are on ground now.”
Another source said: “The hijackers had their way into the live studio of our station when sponsored programme was ongoing. The hijackers entered the studio and took over. After they took over the live studio, they started broadcasting. They said many things, including: Oodua Nation has come to stay. Yoruba no more under Federal Republic of Nigeria. United Nations will soon declare Oodua Nation. The agitators were on air for about one hour.”
However, the swift response of policemen from the Moniya Divisional Police headquarters and Moniya Area Command; Oyo Station Joint Security Patrol team codenamed, Operation Burst; and soldiers from 2 Division of Nigerian Army, Odoogbo, Ojoo, Ibadan, terminated the siege laid by the hijackers. They had responded to distress calls from critical stallholders. The security agencies were able to arrest five among the suspects, who have been taken to the Oyo State Police Command, Eleyele, Ibadan, where they have been paraded.
They were paraded by the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, who gave their names as Noah Atoyebi, Male, aged-30; Gbenga Adeleke, male aged-25; Abdulganiyu Mustafa Kolawole, male, aged-35; Bashiru Kehinde, female, aged 30; and Fajola Elija, male, aged – 45yrs.
Williams said: “Preliminary investigations about today’s incident revealed that today being Sunday, 28/05/2023, at about 0600hrs, the valiant and eagle eyed operatives of the command, while on intelligence driven patrols, intercepted a distress call about some members of a group driven by a separatist agenda, who had forcefully hijacked a radio broadcast Slstation, Amuludun 99.1 FM, located around Moniya, Ibadan with the intent to declare liberation from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Thankfully, no personnel from the establishment or any other persons were hurt as the command responded swiftly in a well coordinated rescue operation. I have personally detailed an investigation team, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to demystify circumstances around the incident and as well expand the network of arrests through thorough, painstaking intelligence driven investigation.
“While declaring this act as criminal, unpatriotic and a clear case of terrorism, which would be meted with adequate sanctions under the laws of the land, I assure 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, not only for tomorrow’s (today) epoch making ceremony but beyond.
“So also, parents, guardians and leaders wielding various degrees of influence are advised to prevail on their children, wards and proteges, against being used to disrupt tomorrow’s (Monday) event, as heavy sanctions await defaulters and other unpatriotic elements sharing the same sinister motives.
“This far, the suspects in possession of various criminal charms were arrested in connection with the incident (invasion of Amuludun FM). The Oyo State Police Command enjoins residents to be generous with information and cooporate with the Command in a bid to rid the State off Criminal elements with the intent to propagate their separatist agenda.”
Speaking with journalists over their arrest, one of the agitators, who claimed to be a clergyman, from Enugu State said: “I came to Ibadan from Enugu State on Friday. I’m a Prophet. One man, named Black Lion, called us from United States. He was the one that instructed us to go to the radio station to make live broadcast that United Nations has given us freedom. He told us that United Nation has ordered Yoruba Nation to break away from Nigeria entity. So, that is why we went to the radio station peacefully this morning to make live broadcast.
“We don’t have intention of fighting anybody. We were told to go and make a live broadcast that Yoruba Nation has been announced by the United Nations; that is the information we were given and that is our mission at the Amuludun radio station this morning. We did not go to that station with guns, nor anything that can harm anybody. All these charms are for our protection, should in case of any attack.”