17th April, 2024
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Oyo Police Command has arraigned twenty-nine suspects arrested in aborted invasion of the Oyo State Government Secretariat on Saturday, April 13 before the Chief Magistrate Court in Ibadan.
The Yoruba Nation agitators were arraigned on Wednesday on seven count charge bordering on treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearm, going armed and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
The offences, according to the Investigative Police Officer, Bakare Rasaq, an Inspector with the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan is contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminak Code, Cap 38, Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
The number is an increase of eight more following the parade of 21 suspects rrested by the Oyo Police Command.
The case with charge number Mi/520c/2024 is between the Commissioner of Police vs the 29 suspects.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Hazmat Adebola, had on Monday, paraded 21 suspected Yoruba Nation agitators at the state Police Headquarters, Eleyele in Ibadan, describing the act as criminal, unpatriotic and a clear case of treasonable felony and terrorism which would be meted with adequate sanctions.
Among the paraded suspects was a 55-year-old lecturer at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, in Oyo State and one of the arrested Yoruba Nation agitators, Alabi Ogundeji, on Monday, who declared that he had no regrets about participating in the invasion.
The masked men in army camouflage with rifles and charms were stationed at different locations within the area, a development that sent panic to the residents and road users along the routes.
Security operatives on duty at the Secretariat were unable to disperse the agitators until the arrival of policemen from the state command and other anti-crime agencies, in conjunction with members of the Nigerian Army, 2 Division, who demobilised them.