DSS Operatives Stop June 12 Rally in Ibadan, Arrest Three Activists

 

Operatives of the Department of the State Services (DSS) on Wednesday stopped a mass rally of the Yoruba Summit Group from taking place in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The group, an amalgamation of all sociocultural and self-determination bodies in Yoruba land, had converged on the city to discuss insecurity in the land.

It was learnt that the security operatives in about five buses, who were cladded in black uniform, had arrived in Agodi arcade in front of the state Government House around 7a.m. and condoned off the area to prevent the rally from taking place.

Three people, including sound system operator contracted to provide services at the event, were whisked away to the DSS office at Alesinloye.

Others arrested are a public affairs analyst and the state Coordinator of Oodua Coalition Against Insurgency and Kidnapping in Yoruba land, Dr. Tunde Hamzat, and a female activist simply identified as Princess Oyeronke.

The National Public Relations Officer of the Odua Peoples’ Congress (New Era), Adesina Akinpelu, while confirming the arrest, decried the development he likened to the infamous incidents during the military junta.

According to him, "We got all the necessary approval but we were surprised to see men of the DSS arriving the venue much earlier even before the coalition members with the intent to stop the rally."

He alleged further that the officials are still on the lookout for other notable leaders of the coalition for possible arrest and detention.

Akinpelu said the botched rally was tagged: ‘O to ge’ to commemorate June 12, adding: "It was called to address the issue of insecurity in the land and safeguard Yoruba people who are becoming endangered in their land through incessant kidnappings and wanton attacks on their farmlands.

"We don't want to take laws into our hands and that's why we called the meeting to drum it to the hearing of President Muhammadu Buhari that aside declaring June 12 the democracy day, he should also tackle insecurity in our land."

He added that all entreaties by leaders of the Yoruba Summit Group comprising representatives of Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, Yoruba Koya Movement, Yoruba Unity Forum, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Atayese and Voice of Reason among others, fell on deaf ears of the security operatives who claimed to be acting on "orders from above."

But in order to prevent what could have escalated into crisis, leaders of the various rallying groups prevailed on their followers not to overstretch the issue just as they dispersed only to reconvene at another location few hours later where they addressed a press conference on the state of the nation.