A teenage girl reportedly lost her life as the planned rally organised by Yoruba nation agitators held without the two key leading figures spearheading the group, Banji Akintoye and Sunday Adeyemi, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
Igboho, a key member of the group is currently in hiding following a manhunt launched for him by the Department of State Services. He was declared wanted by the secret police for allegedly stockpiling arms.
The rally which was initially slated for 9:00 a.m yesterday did not commence until after 11:00 a.m even as security operatives took over the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, venue of the protest since Friday.
Security personnel comprising police and soldiers attached to Operation Mesa were seen at strategic positions at the venue without the protesters until some minutes past 11:00 a.m.
Confusion had trailed the proposed rally as the acclaimed Yoruba agitator, Sunday Igboho, following the wee hour invasion of his house last Thursday had announced that the protest would no longer hold as scheduled.
A counter directive from the leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, (IOO) Banji Akintoye, a retired professor of history, however, insisted that the rally would go on despite the threats and warnings from the Nigeria Police.
A statement by Igboho’s spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, later confirmed that the rally would proceed as earlier scheduled.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, while addressing journalists said that security operatives stationed at the venue of the protest was a demonstration that Lagos was security conscious.
According to the CP, “we are just being security conscious and proactive. Recall that on Thursday, I listed reasons this rally must not hold.
“The organisers have been making frantic efforts to us to assure that the protest would be peaceful. But you and I know what happened during the #EndSARS protests. The protests started peacefully. But till now the state has not been able to get out of the destruction that happened during the protests.”
The protesters, who later registered their presence at the venue, were, however, dispersed as security operatives fired teargas canisters and water canons in apparent moves to prevent the protest from holding.
Addressing security operatives upon their arrival at the venue of the protest, one of the protesters who identified himself as Bolu Adeola said that the protesters were determined to comport themselves in peaceful manner and sought the protection of the police to ensure that the rally did not turn violent.
“We are for peaceful rally. Our mission here is to demand a free Yoruba nation. So, we will like to move over there for the rally. The police should give us the necessary protection. We are for peaceful protest,” he said.
The protesters were subsequently dispersed as security operatives fired teargas canisters and water cannons.
Meanwhile, a teenager drink seller was reportedly killed by stray bullets allegedly fired by a security operative dispersing the protesters.
The victim, it was gathered, was displaying her ware when she was reportedly killed.
The IOO’s Media Communications Secretary, Maxwell Adeleye, in a statement made available to newsmen shortly after the crowd were dispersed, said “that the rally took place with thousands of participants despite Police harassment symbolises that the Yoruba people are not cowards.”
IOO saluted the women who led the rally from the front despite all inconveniences.
“We want to inform the whole world that a stray bullet fired by officers of the Nigerian Police killed a yet-to-be identified soft drinks seller at Ojota, the venue of the Yoruba nation rally held today Saturday July 3rd, 2021.
“We have held our rally notwithstanding the heavy-handed attempts to ensure we do not come to Lagos. That the people came out in their thousands is an indication that the Yoruba people are not cowards.
“We thank our women who led the rally from the front. May history be kind to them. We thank the gentlemen of the press for their support and solidarity.
“This is the beginning. It is no retreat, no surrender. The struggle continues. We are marching forward in the struggle to liberate our land from the shackles of oppression and intimidation
But in a swift reaction, the police debunked the report that a girl was killed during its operation at the venue of the protest.
A statement by the Lagos Command’s Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said that the police did not fire a single shot at the venue of the protest.
The statement read in part: “The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a news making rounds that a 14-year-old girl was hit and killed by police bullet today 3rd July, 2021 at the venue of the Oodua Republic Mega Rally in Ojota, Lagos.
“The Command hereby wishes to debunk the rumour and state categorically that it’s a calculated attempt to create confusion and fears in the minds of the good people of Lagos State and the country at large.
“The Command did not fire a single live bullet at Ojota rally today. The said corpse was found wrapped and abandoned at a distance, far from Ojota venue of the rally, behind MRS Filling Station, inward Maryland, on the other side of the venue, with dried blood stains suggesting that the corpse is not fresh. After a close look at the corpse, a wound suspectedly sustained from a sharp object was seen on it.
The news is false and mischievous. The command, therefore, urges the general public to disregard the news and go about their lawful normal daily activities while investigation to unravel the incident will commence immediately.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, therefore, commiserated with the family of the deceased and assured that thorough investigation would be carried out.”
Sun
