Igboho and Akintoye have distanced themselves from the controversial proclamation.
Nigerians on social media have raised concern over a recent declaration by one Modupe Onitiri Abiola, a widow of the late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, otherwise known as MKO.
In a video that has gone viral online, Modupe announced that Yorubas have seceded from Nigeria effective Friday, April 12, 2024.
Proclaiming the sovereignty of the democratic republic of Yoruba, the secessionist said that Yoruba has become the newest nation in the world and 55th in Africa.
“We are Indigenous people, we’re sovereign people, we’re ethnic nationalists. We’ve decided to secede from Nigeria on November 20, 2022. And today, April 12, 2024, we decided to finally leave Nigeria.
“I, Modupe Onitiri Abiola, proclaimed the sovereignty of the democratic republic of Yoruba today, Friday, April 14, 2024. From today henceforth, Yorubaland has commenced its own republic. By that virtue, it’s now become the newest nation in the world,” she said in the clip.
Though recorded on Friday, the video emerged after some Yoruba nation agitators invaded the Oyo State Government secretariat in the Agodi area of the state on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
Dressed in foreign military camouflage and other paraphernalia, the arm-bearing invaders attempted to break into the Oyo Governor’s office and the state House of Assembly complex.
However, they were subdued by a combined effort of policemen on duty at the Governor’s Office, soldiers, operatives of the South-West Security Network codenamed Amotekun and other security reinforcements.
The Nigerian Army later announced that nine of the intruders were arrested, while one semi-automatic pump action rifle and ammunition were recovered from them.
Meanwhile, a report later emerged that the irredentists were members of the ‘Ominira Yoruba,’ a secessionist group led by Modupe.
This was confirmed by Prof Banji Akintoye, leader of the Yoruba Nation self-determination group and Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, in a statement on Sunday.
