Eko Hot Blog reports that the President of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, has distanced the socio-cultural organisation from the unrest that reportedly broke out between police and suspected Yoruba nation agitators.
Earlier on Monday, commuters ran to safety in the heat of the pandemonium, which broke out in the morning.
Some agitators reportedly came out to demand the Yoruba Nation, amongst other things, and the police came out to curtail them, leading to a clash.
The spokesperson for the police in Lagos, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that a yet-to-be-identified person was killed and two policemen were shot by the agitators.
A burnt vehicle at the scene of the unrest in Ojota, Lagos
In a statement issued by the OPC General Secretary, Comrade Bunmi Fasehun, later on Monday, the organisation said none of its members was involved in the unrest.
“There is absolutely no reason to associate OPC with what happened today in Ojota, Lagos. People were simply talking from the figment of their imagination,” Fasehun quoted Afolabi as saying.
“Just like any other person, we heard the news of the disturbances through social media. When I made phone calls to my members around the axis and elsewhere, they said they knew nothing about the crisis.
“Nobody should drag OPC into a matter that does not concern us, and today’s problem is none of our business.”
According to Afolabi, OPC has always stood for a peaceful resolution of all questions related to Nigeria
“We took to the streets in 1994 to press for the exit of the military and the enthronement of democracy,” the OPC boss said.
“We have since won democracy. Now we believe that the resolution of national questions should come through dialogue. There is nothing that cannot be tabled for discussion.
“And we will be the last to cause a breakdown of law and order, especially in our home constituency anywhere in the South-West and adjoining states.”
Nevertheless, OPC sued for peace in the Ojota crisis, describing the killings of peaceful protesters as needless.
The organisation noted that security agencies must guarantee and respect citizens’ right to life and freedom to engage in peaceful procession.
Meanwhile, Afolabi called on the federal government to ensure the freedom of the rail passengers kidnapped on Sunday by gunmen at the Igueben train station in Edo State.
“We are watching the development in Edo State with keen interest. Edo has a sizable number of OPC members. And we feel it is insulting, unacceptable, and provocative for foreign elements to continue to kidnap Nigerians and make our rural areas unsafe for law-abiding citizens,” the OPC president said.
He urged the security agencies to ensure that the victims were recovered and their abductors brought to answer for their crimes in a court of law.
According to Afolabi, it was strange that kidnappers would establish camps in the forests without the knowledge of police and security agents until they strolled into town to kidnap and kill people at will.
“This is unacceptable,” he said, adding, “Security agencies must collaborate with organizations like OPC, Amotekun, Ebubeagwu, and Atanakpa to flush out these foreign criminals from the country.”
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