TheCable

Ilana Omo Oodua, organiser of ‘Yoruba nation’ rally, says their struggle to liberate the south-west region will continue.

The group, headed by Banji Akintoye, a second republic member of the Nigerian senate, disclosed this in a statement after its agitators clashed with operatives of the Lagos police command.

On Saturday, ‘Yoruba nation’ agitators stormed the Gani Fawehinmi park in Ojota area of Lagos state to demand an independent south-west region.

But security operatives responded with water cannons, teargas and gunshots to disperse the crowd.

An unknown number of protesters were also arrested during the rally.

In a statement released after the encounter, Ilana Omo Oodua hailed the protesters for refusing police intimidation and harrasment, while showing solidarity with the agitation for self-determination.

The statement, signed by Maxwell Adeleye, the group’s media communications secretary, noted that for the rally to have held amid tight security presence symbolises that the Yoruba people are not cowards.

The group said the rally is “just the beginning”, adding that “the struggle continues”.

“We have held our rally, notwithstanding the heavy 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,” the statement reads.

“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.”