That Attack On Oyo State Secretariat

Oyo State government succinctly captured the implication of the attacks on the state secretariat and the House of Assembly complexes by persons who claimed to be agitating for Yoruba nation when it described them as terrorists. There is no other way to describe the show of shame that took place in that ancient city of Ibadan. Indeed, the attacks on these complexes by the agitators, were acts of terrorism and needs to be treated as such.

There is clearly no better way to describe an attempt to invade the Governor’s office and chambers of the state legislature and take them over with arms and ammunition including seven pump action guns and over 700 live cartridges.

The attackers, all masked and dressed in army camouflage with rifles and charms, were reportedly stationed at different locations within the state secretariat and House of Assembly complexes, causing panic among residents of the area.

Their claims that all they want is an independent Yoruba nation is, in our opinion, outlandish and irregular. Even if that is what they want to achieve, there are clearly defined ways of making their point without a resort to illegality. They should have known that embarking on such agitation and the apparent resort to violence, which their possession of weapons and other charms symbolized, is certainly not how to go about it. They may be liable and could be charged for treason.

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Assuming without conceding that their intent was truly to agitate for a Yoruba nation, what is the extent of their consultations?  What was the outcome of such consultation and what gave them the impression that taking over the two institutions of state will, in any way, amount to establishing their dream nation?

Interestingly, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Hazmat Adebola, confirmed the arrest of these renegades when he paraded 21 persons suspected of being behind the invasion. It is perplexing to note that among those paraded is a 55-year-old lecturer at the Federal College of Education (Special) in Oyo, Alabi Ogundeji. That a lecturer will condescend so low as to get himself involved in this clearly illegal act that bears the imprint of criminals, unpatriotic elements, treasonable felons as well as terrorists, defies logic. One wonders what sort of knowledge he has been imparting in his students.

As a newspaper, we recognize the fact that people have an inalienable right to agitation. Such right is clearly provided for in the 1999 constitution (as amended) but agitation for self-government in a way and manner these renegades embarked on it, has absolutely nothing to do with the constitutional provision referred above.

This treasonable act demonstrates in clear terms, the extent to which they are unpatriotic. To that extent, therefore, we implore the police and other security operatives to ensure that those arrested and accused of this crime are given the chance to defend themselves and when found guilty, they should be punished in line with the provisions of the nation’s constitution.

In handling this matter, the security authorities have a precedent to rely on. The agitators ought to be treated for who they and what they represent. To start with, the group formed by these so-called agitators should be proscribed because it is an illegality aforethought. The government owes itself a duty to expeditiously expose the sponsors wherever and whoever they may be because their actions are clear attempts to undermine the nation’s sovereignty.

To frontally address this criminality by these renegades, the government must ensure thorough investigation to unmask those sponsoring them. We strongly believe that they have sponsors who must be unmasked and made to face the full wrath of the law. Oyo or any state for that matter, cannot afford a repeat of such invasion. Punishing those arrested if found guilty, will no doubt serve as a deterrent.

But more than anything else, such an act is suggestive of the widespread discontent in the system, especially among the youths. Trapped in poverty in the midst of current hardship, most able-bodied youths will be willing tools in the hands of mischief makers.

With a burgeoning unemployment rate, especially among the youths and a food inflation that is at an all-time high, more and more youths are getting trapped in the poverty net. Not only do they become easy and willing tools in the hands of mischief makers, they see crimes of the sort witnessed in Oyo as the way out of their current travails.

Governments at all levels must do all it takes to address not just the current cost of living crisis, but the widespread unemployment and poverty among the youths, all of which have made them willing tools in the hands of some unscrupulous elements in our midst.