Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, has condemned the invasion of the Oyo state secretariat.

On Saturday, security officers arrested 16 gunmen suspected to be members of a group identified as Oodua nation agitators for invading the state secretariat at Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo.

The gunmen, who were dressed in military camouflage, were subdued with the arrival of security personnel.

The security personnel were able to arrest some of the gunmen while others took to their heels and were pursued into the nearby bushes and forest.

They were also said to have removed the Nigerian national flag in the secretariat and replaced it with their “Oodua nation flag”, before the intervention of the security personnel.

Reacting, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere spokesperson, in a statement, said those behind the incident did not act in the interest of Yoruba whom they claim to be representing.

Ajayi said President Bola Tinubu is taking steps to address the challenges facing the country.

“Yoruba is an important component of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And as is well-known, there cannot be a sovereign republic within an extant sovereign republic,” he said.

“But solutions to the shortcomings do not lie in violent divisions. Rather, what we should strive for is how the perceived wrongs in the country can be righted.

“Afenifere is of the strong view that President Bola Tinubu administration is taking steps to rejig Nigeria in a manner that would make the country become one that every citizen would be proud of soonest. Restructuring the country is a sure way of accelerating this.”

The group said when restructuring is effected and constituent entities are allowed to be in control of their own affairs, Nigeria will become beneficial to everyone.

“This is why we are relentless in our agitation for restructuring,” Ajayi added.

“How can a person or group of persons think that invading a State House of Assembly is tantamount to the creation of a Federal Republic? Genuine Yorubas normally think things through before they take actions, especially a fundamental action such as forming or declaring a nation. Yorubas don’t act that way.

“Rather, they apply wisdom and intellectualism in major steps they want to take. They apply tact. They demonstrate finesse and shun violence as much as possible. Examples of this attitude abound – going by their reactions to some major issues that occurred in the country in recent times.”