29 Yoruba nation agitators remanded as court adjourns case

About 29 suspected Yoruba Nation agitators were on Wednesday arraigned before Chief Magistrate, O.O. Ogunkanmi for their involvement and roles in the failed invasion of the Oyo State Government Secretariat on Saturday.

The suspects were arraigned on seven count charge bordering on treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearm, conduct likely to cause breach of peace, among others.

The case with charge number Mi/520c/2024 is between the Commissioner of Police vs the 29 suspects came up for mention at the Chief Magistrate Court 1.

Bakare Rasaq, an Inspector with the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, said the offences were contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

The charges which were read to them by investigating officer, stated in parts that the defendants “and others now at large, on the 13th April, 2024 at about 8:30AM, at Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan in the Ibadan Magisterial District did conspire with one another to commit felony to wit: treasonable felony, unlawful society, going armed and conduct likely to cause breach of the peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishablebunder Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

“On the same date, time and place in the aforementioned mentioned magisterial district did unlawfully form intention and manifest the intention to forcefully remove the democratically elected Executive Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde during his term of office by invading the State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan with arms and declaring the birth of Yoruba Nation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishablebunder Section 41(b) of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

“That the defendants and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did unlawfully belong to a group of people declaring the birth of Yoruba Nation which is an unlawful society and thereby committed g an offence contrary to Section 62 and punishable under Section 64 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

“That the defendants and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did unlawfully go armed in the public with guns, cutlasses, charms and knives without lawful occasion in such a manner as to cause terror to Executive Governor of Oyo State Engr. Seyi Makinde and the public and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 80 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

“That the defendants and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did conduct yourselves in a manner likelybto cause breach of thenpeace by going armed in the public and declaring the Yoruba Nation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 249 (d) of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo of Nigeria, 2000.

“That the defendants and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did conspire with one another to commit felony to wit: unlawful possession of firearms amd ammunition and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 6b of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap RII, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“That the defendants and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did unlawfully have in your possession five English Pump Action guns, three locally made barrel gun, 405 rounds of live cartridges and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearma (Special Provisions) Act, Cap RII, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

Afterwards, the Chief Magistrate did not take any plea, but ordered that the defendants be kept in the Correctional facility until when the case will come up for hearing on August 1, 2024.

BusinessDay recalls that the Oyo State Police Command had on Monday pareded 21 suspects, but the number got increased by eight during the suspects’ arraignment on Wednesday.