Twenty arrested over invasion of Oyo Secretariat, House of Assembly – Police

• The police said the suspects were arrested with dangerous and sophisticated weapons.

Twenty persons suspected to be involved in the invasion of the Oyo State Secretariat and the State House of Assembly have been apprehended.

Within Nigeria had earlier reported that some armed men suspected to be members Yoruba Nation, a separatist group in Nigeria’s South West region, stormed the seat of power in the state.

The invaders, who donned military camouflage, also hoist secessionists’ flag at the government house.

However, the police in Oyo State said some persons have been arrested in connection with the audacious attack.

In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, on Saturday, the police said the suspects were arrested with dangerous and sophisticated weapons.

Items recovered from the suspects include three pump-action guns, 291 live cartridges, two expended cartridges, 67 cutlasses, five bulletproof vests, six pairs of boots, 10 megaphones (public address system), three Oodua berets, seven belts, 11 Oodua Nation Army camouflage uniforms, one unregistered Nissan Urban caravan bus and three TVS motorcycles.

Osifeso said: “Today, Saturday, April 13, 2024, at about 09:15 am, operatives of the Oyo State Police Command, in concert with some members of sister agencies, successfully thwarted an attempt by hoodlums suspected to be members of the ‘Yoruba Nation Agitation Group’ driven by a separatist agenda, to forcefully takeover the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi-Ibadan.

“Sequel to the above, the Commissioner of Police has detailed a high-powered investigation team, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department, to demystify circumstances surrounding the incident and as well expand the network of arrests through painstaking intelligence-driven investigation.

“The Oyo State Police Command enjoins residents to be generous with information and cooperate with the command in a bid to rid the state of criminal elements whose intent is to propagate separatist agenda.”