O’Odua Nationalist Coalition: “investigate the shooting of Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) students by soldiers”

O’Odua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC)

No 10, Afolabi Lesi Street, Ilupeju, Lagos

Ibadan Saturday, May 22, 2014


The Minister for Defense, Alhaji Ahmed Gusau, has been urged to investigate the shooting of Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) students by soldiers attached to a certain Niger-Delta militant, Chief Okubo Robert who last week Tuesday was in a riotous convoy of cars marked Presidency.


The group described the shooting of innocent students by the Federal soldiers attached to an individual as “state-sponsored terrorism” saying the authorities must investigate and bring to justice those responsible for the conscious and deliberate assault on the peaceful students of one of Nigeria’s oldest and most celebrated centers of learning.


The Pan Yoruba group said it has received reliable information that Mr Roberts was coming from a security meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) organized by its South West caucus with Osun and Ekiti gubernatorial aspirants, Chief Iyiola Omisore and Mr Ayodele Fayose in attendance.


“We have received information that the Niger-Delta militant is in the Security Committee of the Osun and Ekiti PDP aspirants”, ONAC stated.


A statement signed by the group’s Director of Publicity, Tolu Adeyanju urged the Defense Ministry to establish whether the soldiers were from the Nigerian military, the identity of the soldiers, the reasons why the soldiers were attached to a rogue civilian, why the soldiers shot at the students and what was the mission of the notorious Niger-Delta militant in Ekiti and Osun States.


“We were informed that the Niger-Delta militant held extensive meetings with PDP gubernatorial aspirants in Ekiti and Osun States with the main purpose of importing armed militants and vagabonds to cause chaos in two states that have recently been known for stability and sustainable development.”


The group warns that the Yoruba people will resist with “everything possible” what looks like the almost irreversible determination of the President Goodluck Jonathan to supervise the rigging of the June 21 and August 9 polls.


The O’odua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC) said one of the soldiers, Mr Idris Ajisesin with registration number 448318 shot several times at a crowd of students protesting against hike in fees introduced by the Federal Government.

The top man being led by the convoy, Robert had a vehicle marked FG 902 B02. The soldiers fired several shots and wounded many students.


“We see this unprovoked act of terror on innocent students as a dent on the image of Nigeria. It represents the low water level of official gansterism and a despondent assault on a centre of knowledge. The attack provides the impetus for social upheavals. We do not understand what informs the idea of having soldiers in the convoy of a civilian whose only status is that he comes from the home town of the country’s President.”


ONAC said Nigeria runs the risk of an implosion if the impunity and ruthless attacks on innocent civilians by security operatives under President Goodluck Jonathan continues unabated.


SIGNED
Tolu Adeyanju
For ONAC