Despite the initial tension due to heavy security presence around the city of Ibadan, the planned solidarity walk in support of the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Operation Amotekun, held at the Remembrance Archade, opposite Oyo State Government Secretariat.
Although the event was delayed for almost an hour, uniform and plain cloth wearing security operatives including, Police Force, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps had besieged the venue in large number.
The heavy security presence with no fewer than ten police security patrols initially sent fears and apprehension as to the certainty or otherwise of the protest holding as scheduled.
Seventy-eight socio-cultural and militia groups under the aegis of Yoruba World Congress led by Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye facilitated the solidarity walk across the six states of the Southwest to make public their alignment with the decision of the Southwest Governors at embarking on the regional security outfit to address the various security challenges facing the region as a whole.
However, only a few of the security operatives were seen rifles.
Though, the security operatives declined speaking to journalists as to the reason behind their massive turnout at the event, one of the leaders while familiarising with the protesters said the security operatives were not out to sabotage or obstruct the protesters but to ensure that law and order were maintained while the event lasted.
Some of the groups present in their good numbers at the walk include, Hunters Group of Nigeria, Yoruba Youth Socio-cultural Association (YYSA), Agbekoya group, Atayese, Yoruba Reconciliation Groups, Kaaro Ojiire group, Oodua People Congress , Majiyagbe Group Vigilante group, United Self Determination People, Oodua Liberation Movement, Oodua Sovereignty Defence Agenda, Ojulowo Omo Oodua Group, Soludero group, among others.
The placards bearing protesters also sang various solidarity songs to express their determination to support the Southwest Governors and ensure the security outfit works.
Inscriptions on some of the placards read, “Yoruba Omo Oodua: Protect Yourself, Amotekun”, “On Amotekun we stand”, “We want to know who owns the Land. Amotekun”, No Amotekun, No Hisbah”, among others.
Despite the initial unfavourable security report that disallowed the protesters from walking round major parts of the city as planned, the group later resolved to walking from the Government House to the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan where they were revived by the Chief of Staff to Governor Seyi Makinde, Chief Bisi Ilaka.
While addressing the journalist on the purpose of the solidarity walk, the Head of Security, Yoruba World Congress, Evangelist Kunle Adesokan said the people are out to create awareness and also encourage the Southwest Governors not to yield to pressure to back down on the security outfit.
He faulted the calls by some section of the country that the Southwest region may lost its presidential bid if it didn’t back down on the Amotekun project, saying Nigeria belongs to everybody and not only any particular group or interest.
Adesokan said, “Today is another day of history in our lifetime, this will serve as our stand for today’s appearance of the real Amotekun to the people of the Southwest. We are addressing our governors and we are giving all our governors in the southwest this solidarity support.
“We want to tell them that the entire Yoruba people are behind Amotekun and there is no going back. No matter the threat from wherever, Yoruba is not going back from the Amotekun plan. We will never allow foreigners to come on our lands to start killing us unnecessarily. We are tired of the blood-letting.
“Nigeria is for us and for us all. Not for certain section of people. We are here on our own land with a sense of belonging to accommodate everybody to come to the southwest region for trade, commerce and every other legitimate thing, and we will not allow anyone to come here, rape our wives and daughters, kill our farmers, destroy our farms and kill our people unnecessarily. We will not allow that.
“Here is my message to Mr Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde on behalf of the leader of Yoruba Worldwide namely, Prof Banji Akintoye:
“We commend our governors for floating the phenomenon security project. It is in appreciation of this great ventures that all the Yorubas Worldwide have risen to express their massive support for the project which impliedly is appreciating you.
“While I am therefore appreciating you is why I am thanking you for the challenge which we are posing to you now which is that there should be no retreat in your commitment to the idea until we have peace in our lands and therefore asking you to give your total support across the board to the executing bodies of this project namely, the DAWN Commission and the Yoruba World Congress and our amiable Yoruba leader, Prof Banji Akintoye.
“Right now, as it is happening here, so also it is in other five Southwest states. We are only trying to tell the Governors that they are not alone in this game.
“It is unfortunate that the people that should give us adequate security refused to do so. What I want to tell you categorically is that security is an environmental matter. You just have to have an idea to secure your own environment. No matter what.
“In other countries of the world, there are state police, county police and different types in different places. This is what we have been asking for a very long time, restructuring of Nigeria is inevitable. Bringing thousands of police cannot stop the will of the people. People wants to secure their lives and there is no argument about that. We don’t own anybody any apology for doing so.
“We have heard some people from some cultures and tribe threatening that if Yorubas did not denounce the Amotekun project, they will deny us the presidential slot in 2023, we call that ordinary fallacy because Nigeria belongs to us all.
“As far as we are still in Nigeria, it belongs to us all. No certain section of the country can determine who becomes the president of this country.”
Receiving the protesters on behalf of the government, Chief Ilaka said, “The idea of Amotekun is one that has come to stay. It is not one that’s supposed to rival either the police or other security apparatus which are national in nature.
“All we’re trying to do is to complement their efforts. It’s a fact that the police cannot be everywhere, they can’t be in all the nooks and crannies of this State but we know that the national security apparatus is well stretched so we’re only trying to complement.
“But it’s an idea that has come to stay because we have security challenges in this part of the world and in order that we can address them and complement the efforts of the police, this is an idea that has come to stay. I’m sure the commitment that the governors have demonstrated is just the beginning. The demonstrations will demonstrate further commitment to this idea. So, people can buff and puff, nothing is going to change, the idea has definitely come to stay.”
