Olayomi Koiki, the spokesperson to Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Igboho, has raised an alarm that the Nigerian police should be held responsible if the planned Yoruba Nation rally in Lagos turned violent.
He stated this in a Facebook broadcast early Friday morning, July 2.
Koiki said that the Yoruba Nation Rally would hold in Lagos on Saturday despite a police warning.
“On no account will any actual or rumoured activity, including the planned mega rally, be allowed to lock down the state or hinder the normal daily activities of the good people of Lagos State, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, said at a media briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday.
But Igboho’s media aide noted that the rally would proceed with or without his boss, who had reportedly withdrawn himself from the rally.
He said, “I heard that the commissioner of police said no rally will hold, tell them to expect us. We will know who owns Lagos on Saturday between Yoruba people or Sanwo-Olu or police. We will all meet on Saturday during the rally.
“If everything will be ruined, let it be on Saturday. They have the choice of letting us have our protest peacefully or causing violent. Police should be held responsible for any violence.
Earlier, the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, insisted that the Yoruba Nation rally will hold in the state as scheduled.
This is according to a statement signed by its leader, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye, and made available to newsmen by his Communications Manager, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye.
“We want to confirm again that the Pro-Yoruba Nation rally scheduled to hold on Saturday, July 3rd, in Lagos will proceed as scheduled” the statement read in part.