Yoruba Nation: Relatives seek release of agitators, others in detention
By Julius Alabi, Akure
Relatives of several Yoruba Nation agitators arrested during rallies and security flashpoints across the South-West have renewed calls for the release of those still in detention and facing prolonged legal proceedings.
The relatives, who expressed concern over the continued detention of some of the agitators, appealed to the Federal Government to review the cases of those who have remained behind bars since the height of the agitation.
They also called for the return of international passports belonging to some of those who had been released or granted bail, but whose travel documents were allegedly still being withheld by the authorities.
While some individuals arrested in connection with the agitation have been released or granted bail, the status of others remains tied to the circumstances surrounding their arrests and the charges brought against them.
Some of the detainees were reportedly charged with serious offences, including murder and treason, depending on the incidents that led to their arrests.
The relatives said some of those allegedly on the security radar included Mr Ademola, Mrs Bisola Adedeji, Mr Ademola Itiolu, who had earlier been arrested but later released, and Mr Wole Ajayi, among others.
They maintained that the Yoruba Nation agitators were pursuing what they described as peaceful means of self-separation, relying on international principles that guarantee the right to self-determination for indigenous peoples.
According to them, the agitation was driven by concerns over what they alleged to be persistent cases of kidnapping, rape, maiming, extortion and killings allegedly perpetrated by Hausa/Fulani elements.
“The Hausa/Fulani agenda to conquer our land is not hidden, and they are using every method in the book to work towards perfecting the agenda,” they said.
The agitation attracted heightened attention from security agencies from 2022, when the Federal Government intensified efforts to arrest and prosecute individuals suspected of involvement in Yoruba Nation activities and protests.
In the course of the arrests, some family members of suspected agitators, including Nigerians living in the diaspora, were also said to have come under the scrutiny of security agencies.
The situation persisted in 2023 and 2024, with security forces making arrests during coordinated incidents linked to the agitation in parts of the South-West..
The crackdown also extended beyond Nigeria, with some members and supporters of the Yoruba Nation movement who relocated abroad reportedly remaining on the radar of Nigerian security agencies.
Those associated with the Yoruba Nation Mega Rally, both within Nigeria and in the diaspora, were similarly affected as security agencies monitored activities connected with the agitation.
The relatives said the prolonged detention and legal proceedings had continued to place emotional and financial burdens on affected families.
In a statement, Chief Akintunde Babalola appealed to the Federal Government to extend clemency to those arrested in connection with the agitation, particularly individuals whose cases could be resolved without further prolonged detention.
Babalola said that, in the interest of peace, unity and national reconciliation, the government should consider pardoning those arrested during the agitation and removing individuals no longer facing active security concerns from the radar of security agencies.
