The police said the Yoruba Nation rally was not peaceful.
The chairman of Yoruba Self Determination Movement (YSDM), Banji Akintoye, has claimed that the rally scheduled by its members was “peaceful” until the police “approached” them and killed two members of the group.
Mr Akintoye, a professor of History and senator in the Second Republic, spoke via the YSDM YouTube channel shortly after the rally turned violent on Monday.
The group, Ilana Omo Oodua, is agitating for an independent Yoruba nation.
It is not clear what Mr Akintoye now plays in the group as in December, he tendered his resignation citing old age.
“We learned that two young men have been killed as a result of the police fire,” he said.
However, the police confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that a yet-identified-man lost his life at the rally.
This newspaper had reported that the self-determination group had planned to hold a “Super Mega” rally” at Ojota.
But Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in the state, said they were not notified of the gathering.
Mr Akintoye further stressed that the purpose of the movement is to press for self determination for the Yoruba nation.
“Our methods have always been peaceful, peaceful rally, no weapons, no violence of any kind,” he said.
“Not regarding the police as enemies, not regarding any other official of the Nigerian state as enemies.
“Those are the conditions upon which the young men gathered this morning to carry out a rally. Even before they had settled down, as they were arriving at the center where they wanted to carry out the rally, the Nigeria police approached them and started shooting.”
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