The police and agitators for Yoruba nation seem on a colision course in Lagos today over the planned Lagos rally.
Despite the strict warning handed down down yesterday they will not tolerate any form of rally, the agitators too have consistently vowed to go ahead.
Speaking on behalf of his leader, Olayomi Koiki, spokesman for the embattled Yoruba youth activist and one of the prime movers of the agitation Sunday Igboho, vowed that the rally would go ahead as planned.
Organisers of the Lagos rally and the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups, Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO), also insisted on going ahead with the rally today.
Speking for the for first time since his house was raided by security agents, Igboho accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the federal government of persecuting him for his “resistance to the incessant killing, raping and kidnapping of my people in Southwest Nigeria by armed Fulani herdsmen.”
Igboho, who has been declared wanted by the Department of State Security (DSS), said in a lengthy statement that government was out to “forcefully silence me so that the criminal herdsmen, who enjoy government’s sympathy, protection and immunity, can easily outrun the Southwest.”
He had announced the suspension of the rally soon after the raid on his house only for his spokesman, Koiki, to declare yesterday that the rally would proceed as originally scheduled.
Koiki conveyed a message from Igboho to his supporters ”not to be weighed down about what happened, he is standing with the Yoruba Nation agenda,” a veiled reference to the raid on his house.
He added: “I can still confirm officially that the Lagos rally inasmuch as whatever news or rumours you’ve been listening to from different outlets will go as planned.
”The 3rd of July Mega rally will go as planned. All arrangements for the rally have been planned and nothing has changed.
“I have spoken to the organisers, nothing has changed so far. 3rd of July from exactly 9:00 am in the morning. The whole arrangement and planning is going on.
“I’ve spoken with the General Secretary of Ilana Omo Odua, George Akinola, and also in the early hours before noon, I spoke with Banji Akintoye and he is working tirelessly for the release of those taken away.
“The rally in Lagos is going to be a peaceful rally. It is going to be a mega rally. Do not be disturbed about what happened. So many developments took place at Igboho’s house.
“We might get a form of video from Igboho about the Lagos rally, which might be released. We’ll be deciding that in the next 24 hours.”
