The Federal Government of Nigeria has disclosed its plans to outlaw all self-determination groups in the country, including the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, led by Prof. Banji Akintoye.
Ilana Omo Oodua, alongside a movement led by popular Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho have been calling for the balkanisation of Nigeria to establish a new nation called Oòduà Republic. Likewise, the already proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is also agitating for the establishment of the Biafra Republic.
Speaking with the Punch, Umar Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Abubakar Malami, disclosed that the FG is considering all options to outlaw secessionist agitations in the country in a bid to ensure a peaceful and united Nigeria.
According to Gwandu, the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal government is committed to ensuring a peaceful Nigeria and will take all steps within the ambit of the laws to ensure that the country remains united.
In his words, “The Federal Government is interested in having a peaceful Nigeria, so, all options cannot be ruled out, all options in order to have a peaceful and serene atmosphere in the country can be explored by the Federal Government,” he said.
“Whatever thing that is doable and possible within the context of the law in accordance with extant provisions of the law will be pursued. All options are available at the Federal Government’s end.”
Recall this is coming after reports had emerged that Akintoye, an eminent scholar of Yoruba history is on the radar of the security operatives over his involvement in the latest secessionist agitations in the Southwest region.
According to reports, security operatives have been plotting to arrest and harrass Akintoye, a claim which the elder statesman had since refuted, saying that the Federal Government has never tried to harass or intimidate him.
Meanwhile, reacting to the Federal Government’s threat to outlaw the activities of all self-determination groups in the country, Akintoye’s Communications Manager, Maxwell Adeleye, stated that the Buhari government may not want to descend low to outlaw the Yoruba Nation group led by his principal.
Adeleye as qouted by the Punch, added that Ilana Omo Oodua is a peaceful group and has never caused havoc in the country, hence there was no basis to outlaw their group.
“There is no basis for the proscription of Ilana Omo Oodua. The government can only proscribe a terrorist group and not a peaceful group like Ilana Omo Oodua. All our members arrested in Ojota (area in Lagos), were charged with disturbance of public peace but later released. Why weren’t they charged with treasonable felony or murder?”
“If the government proscribes us, we are going to challenge it in the court of law because we have committed no offence. It is an organisation that believes in peaceful agitation for self-determination. We even released a manual on peaceful agitation for self-determination as authored by our Leader, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye.
“I do not think the Nigerian government will descend so low to proscribe a peaceful organisation like Ilana Omo Oodua. Professor Akintoye has released a formal statement that he is not afraid of arrest and that he is coming to Nigeria soon.”
The spokesman for Akintoye also said the group had no association with IPOB and does not believe in the sit-at-home order issued by the group in the South-East.
“Sit-at-home is never in our plan. Ilana Omo Oodua has no association with IPOB, so comparing IPOB methodology with ours is heretical. Our modus operandi is totally different. With all due respect to the members of IPOB, the only thing we have in common is that they want Biafra Nation and we want an independent Yoruba Nation.
“We are for peaceful self-determination; we believe in referendum, we don’t want war, we are not going to shoot a gun or carry a cutlass to attack anyone. We do not have any military wing. We are for peace and we believe the best way to achieve this is by NINAS (Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination) strategy of referendum and that is why we have been holding rallies to sensitise our people.”
