The Ogun State Police Command has barred the Oduduwa nation rally expected to hold May 1 in the state.
The Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, made this known in a press statement on Thursday.
“Consequently, the rally slated for Abeokuta on 1st May, 2021, is viewed by the Command as one too many in the State, and therefore not approved.
“Parents and guardians are hereby advised to warn their children and wards not to be involved in any of such gathering that may expose them to violence and consequently bring them on a collision course with the security agencies,” the statement read in part.
While describing the rally as disturbing, the Ogun police command, said a previous rally by the organisers caused “serious panic in the minds of the people”.
The statement added, “The Command is not oblivious of the constitutional rights of citizens to freedom of association and expression, but we however want to caution that these rights should not be exercised to the detriment of other citizens.
“It will be recalled that the group had on 21/3/2021 staged a public rally at Isara Remo for the actualization of Oduduwa republic, where they blocked highways and made free-flow of traffic very difficult for other road users. The same group staged another rally in Shagamu on 16/4/2021 where they made an attempt to attack Shagamu police station for no reason.
“Yet, on 25/4/2021, they held another rally at Ajuwon where in the course of stopping them from distributing inciting letters, policemen and other security agents were jeered at and pelted with missiles. The same group is again planning to hold another mass rally on May 1st, 2021 at Abeokuta, making it the 4th rally in the State in quick succession.”
“It is also instructive to note that available intelligence shows that the organizers of these rallies are being sponsored by certain individuals outside the State and the country to destabilize Ogun State.”
(Punch)