Five suspected Oodua Nation agitators advocating for a separate Yoruba nation, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in an attack on Radio Nigeria, Amuludun FM, Moniya, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday.
Amuludun FM is a community radio station owned by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
The agitators were accused of taking over the over the live studio and entire premises of the station and started broadcasting their messages.
These included “Oodua Nation has come to stay”, “Yoruba No More Under Federal Republic of Nigeria”, “United Nation Will Soon Declare Oodua Nation”, among others.
They broadcasted for about an hour before the arrival of combined teams of the Police and Nigerian Army.
The security team was able to recover the radio station after five persons were arrested and taken to the Eleyele headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force, Oyo State Command, for interrogation.
Some staff members of the radio station, who confirmed the development, said the incident happened at about 6am on Sunday.
One of them disclosed that the suspects invaded the station with various forms of charms.
The General Manager of the station, Mr. Stephen Agbaje, who confirmed the incident, stressed that the situation had been brought under control by the security agencies.
“Some group of agitators came around in the night, and took over the station, but the situation has been brought under control by the security agents. They were able to recover the station, and some arrests have been made,” he explained.
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Buhari, Kenyatta urge Tinubu, Shettima to run inclusive administration
President Muhammadu Buhari and former Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, have charged the incoming administration of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima to reach out to the opposition parties and leaders in order to ensure inclusiveness and national unity in Nigeria, and to prioritise the welfare of citizens.
They spoke at the weekend during a presidential inauguration lecture in Abuja that preceded the swearing of Tinubu and Shettima.
Kenyatta was the Guest Lecturer and the theme of the lecture was ‘Deepening Democracy for Development and Integration’.
Buhari said that “we have learnt that democracy is the not only a system of governance, but also a way of life, requiring active such participation, inclusivity, relentless pursuit of Justice and fairness”.
He noted that true democracy thrives where the voice of the citizens are heard, valued and represented regardless of their background or social status.
The president said that the underlying philosophy of the lecture is the fact that the nation’s progress rests in unity , inclusivity and shared responsibility.
“We have acknowledged that the task of nation building is an inclusive one which transcend political affiliations and personal interest”, he stated and charged the incoming administration to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind.
President Buhari while noting that lessons from the lecture go beyond academic exercise, assured that as he prepares to hand over, to the President elect, there is a sense of hope based on the capacity of the incoming President, to deliver on the assignments given to him, by Nigerians.
Kenyatta told the incoming President and his deputy to “remember that your victory is not just about numbers, as Western democracies will have us to believe, the real victory will be how you reach out to all the voices in Nigeria, and how every Nigerian, from Katsina in the north, to Port Harcourt in the south, to the Yorubas in the West and Anambra n the East, how they will all feel included in your victory and see your government as their government, your agenda as their agenda, one Nigeria, one government for all.”
He further reminded the Tinubu administration that “the contest is now over”, and that “the work of building a prosperous and unified Nigeria, now beings.
“Upon assuming the office of the President, you will be wise to transcend from the tactical politics of an election to assume your role as Nigeria’s vision bearer.
“This will demand the complete overhaul of mindset politicians are conditioned to embrace during the election process.
“As President, you must learn very quickly to lead those who love you and those who loath you with deeper passion and commitments because you are now the father of all.
“As you take command of the nation armed forces, you become the embodiment of the sum total if the different groups, you become the symbol of national unity of Nigeria.
Kenyatta, who also advised the incoming government on the need to surround it self with the voices of those who will counter balance the hardliners that feel entitled to the piece of the office, added that “you will lose nothing and gain everything, by reaching out across the political, ethnic and religious lines, to those who nay feel aggrieved by your victory in one way or the other, please allow them to experience and be part of your vision for greater Nigeria.
“It is my hope and my prayers that the lessons from across the continent will give you the resolve to work the difficult path in overcoming those three elements of negative ethnicity, religious discrimination and corruption.
“As a fellow African, I look forward to a Nigeria that emerged from this transition, ready to fight for its rightful position on the global stage, with both hands.”
Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima who stood in for President elect Bola Tinubu, declared that President Buhari conducted the freest election in the country, during the just concluded general elections.
Shettima used the opportunity to assure Nigerians that the Tinubu’s administration will address the issues of fuel subsidy regime and the dual interest rates, heavily criticized for fueling corruption.
Shettima who described his emergence as Vice President, as “a child of necessity”, debunked fears that the Tinubu’s administration was predicated on Islamization of the country, adding that “if Tinubu who is married to a Christian and Pastor at the Redeemed Christian Christian Church did not Islamise his own house, how can he be accused of planning to Islamise the country.
The Vice President elect revealed that he deliberately appointed an Igbo man and a practicing Catholic as his Aide de Camp (ADC), while his Chief Security Detail, is also a Christian, humorously adding that, “the so-called Boko Haram sponsor will now be protected by Christians”.
