THE Nigerian military and police have arrested four Yoruba agitators who participated in an early morning hijack of Radio Nigeria, Amuludun 99.1 FM in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Sunday, May 28.
According to the Punch newspaper, the agitators stormed the station, located at J&P Bus-stop, Moniya in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state capital in a 18-seater bus, armed with charms and other weapons.
They took over broadcast for more than an hour, after holding staff on duty captive.
They threatened to kill the workers if they scream or attempt to make any call about the invasion.
Besides, they asked the workers to remove the Nigerian flags hung in the building and replace them with the Yoruba nation flag that they brought.
All the agitators wore shirts bearing the ‘Yoruba Nation’s inscription.
There was at least a woman among them.
Only six of the invaders entered the radio studio to make a declaration, including “welcome to Yoruba Nation.”
Others kept watch over the building.
To ensure the operation was successful, they reportedly hijacked some commercial vehicles from their owners within the vicinity, which they used to block the roads leading to the area.
But luck soon ran out of them as military and police officers trooped in and surrounded the premises.
They were able to arrest four of the agitators, while others fled, and were yet to be apprehended as of press time.
The most senior worker on duty at the station, Ajayi Omotola, narrated the invasion, “They told us that they are Yoruba Nation agitators. And in their T-shirt, there was that inscription there. They wrote Yoruba Nation. Only six persons came inside the studio with different charms threatening to kill us if we failed to cooperate. Others were outside manning security at different areas within the premises.
“They collected all our phones and threatened to kill us if we made any noise or phone calls. They said they wanted to broadcast live that Yoruba Nation has taken over. We should remove all Nigeria flags in our studio and replace it with their own.
“They didn’t allow anybody to go outside. The Area Commander came, addressed and even pleaded with them but they ignored him. We later heard sporadic shooting outside. So, one of our staff members then came inside to inform us that police and soldiers had arrived.”
Peace has returned to the area as gun-wielding soldiers and police officers and about a score military vehicles have been deployed to the area.
The incident occurred a day before the President-elect, a Yoruba man, takes oath of office as Nigeria’s president.
Agitation for Yoruba nation has been led by two major people in the South-West, populated by the Yorubas.
They are Sunday Igboho and Banji Akintoye, a professor.
In 2022, Igboho was arrested in Benin Republic while fleeing Nigeria for Germany after he had been involved in activities the Federal Government considered treasonable.
He was detained for several weeks before a court released him. He has since not returned to Nigeria.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org
Their charms FAILED the amenable FOOLS.
A DEINAL SO EMPTY SUCH AS COMPLETELY MEANINGLESS.
This child brain octogenarian crafted created and molded some amenable gullible IDIOTS. Prof. Banji Akintoye remains the leader of a lawless misguide brigands who do not in any way manifests any trait of TRUE Yoruba gene and attributes.
Banji Akintoye CREATED A WHIRLWIND HE COULF NO LONGER CONTROL ND BADLY ATTEMPTED TO DISASSOCIATE HIMSELF FROM THE CARNAGE AND MEYHEM HE UNLEASHED ON A COMMUNITY OF INTELLIGENT PEOPLE OF THE WESTERN PART OF Nigeria. https://www.nairaland.com/6976106/trip
Irrespective of his denials and recounts to wriggle himself out if the mess he made. He remained largely and profoundly RESPONSIBLE for the ill mental dunces he brought to bear in our midst.
Prof. Banji Akintoye IS BOTH LIABLE AND COMPLICIT IN THE UNFOLDING MISDIRECTIONS OF SOME IDIOTS PARADING THEIR MENACE IN NAKED MARKET DANCE OF THE INFIRM.
The sworn treasonable felons wished jail terms and would have it in abundance.
AND Banji Akintye CANNOT, NO MATTER HOW HARD HE TRIED TO ABSOLVE HIMSELF FROM THE ACCOUNTS OF THE CARNAGE OF HIS OWN MAKING.
The Tiger is now beyond and GROWN bigger than Banji Akintoye