Manhunt Initiated for Suspect Linked to Oyo State Government Secretariat Invasion

Police authorities have initiated a manhunt for Mrs. Dupe Onitiri-Abiola, suspected of orchestrating the invasion of the Oyo State Government Secretariat by Yoruba Nation agitators.

Mrs. Onitiri-Abiola, widow of the late Chief Moshood Abiola, openly claimed responsibility for the violence in a widely circulated video.

The agitators, armed and dressed in military attire, attempted to breach security at the state House of Assembly and the governor’s office on Saturday.

Describing the invasion as a grave offense, Police Commissioner Adebola Hamzat labeled it as treasonable felony and terrorism, promising appropriate sanctions.

Although not explicitly named by the police, the state’s Special Adviser on Security, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, hinted at Mrs. Onitiri-Abiola’s involvement.

Subsequently, a viral video emerged featuring Mrs. Onitiri-Abiola asserting leadership of the group on social media.

Professor Banji Akintoye also indirectly implicated her Yoruba group in the incident, with Mrs. Onitiri-Abiola’s video confession providing further evidence of her involvement.

In response to the invasion, police personnel recovered weapons and arrested 21 suspects. Hamzat underscored the importance of Nigeria’s unity and cautioned against promoting anarchy.

The police chief detailed the events of Saturday, stating: “Around 8:55 a.m., we received information about individuals dressed in military-like camouflage, armed with pump-action semi-automatic rifles, seen on motorcycles around Olomi, moving towards Ibadan. By 9:15 a.m., these individuals, later identified as the Yoruba Nation Agitation Group, were traced to the State Secretariat and the Governor’s Office premises. They raised their flag at the House of Assembly, declaring the establishment of a ‘Democratic Republic of the Yoruba.’ When police reinforcements arrived, the agitators were instructed to disperse. However, they resorted to violence, opening fire on the police and Amotekun Corps present.”

The commissioner noted that the police, supported by other security agencies, promptly intervened and quelled the treasonous act.

However, Oyo State Governor’s Special Adviser on Security, Fatai Owoseni, identified Onitiri-Abiola as the leader of another separatist group. Speaking on national television, Owoseni stated that the woman has been involved for more than three decades, including during the time of the late Bashorun Kashimawo Abiola. Regarding Prof. Banji Akintoye’s statement implicating Onitiri-Abiola in the Saturday incident, Owoseni remarked: “This woman has been active for a long time. She has voiced her opinions on various occasions, highlighting the proliferation of separatist groups I mentioned earlier. Some misinterpretations of the United Nations Conventions Charter have led to the exploitation of such actions.”

Owoseni, a former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, affirmed that the Federal Government is already addressing the security concerns in the country.