Hundreds of Yoruba warriors, popularly called Agbekoya, have staged a peaceful protest at Ibadan, Oyo State capital against the continuous detention of the Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho by the Benin Republic government .
The warriors also called on the Federal Government to shelve her plans to remove the fuel subsidy, which will ignite more hardship to the present economic backwardness of the country.
They alleged that the continued detention of Sunday Igboho by the Benin Republic authorities in Cotonou, the country’s capital, was orchestrated by the Federal Government and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to allow the agitator return home.
During the peaceful demonstration, the Agbekoya’s were seen to have commenced around Mapo hall and marched on several streets across Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, chanting different songs to appease the government on Thursday
The warriors claimed that Sunday Igboho did not commit any crime and should be freed as well as be allowed to reunite with his families and loyalists across the country.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the leader of the group, Kamorudeen Okikiola, stated that the demonstration was not to fight anyone but to request and protect the rights of all Yoruba indigenes across the country.
Okikiola added that the government should also be ready for more trouble if they failed to facilitate the release of Sunday Igboho, saying “we are only asking for his release”.
Aside from demanding the release of the Yoruba Nation agitator, the demonstrators cautioned the federal government not to remove fuel subsidy, saying the action would further heighten the level of poverty and hunger across Nigeria.
The group, through the statement signed by the group’s spokesman, Olatunji Bandele, and made available to newsmen earlier, also demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration should introduce policies that could reduce the unemployment rate and improve security.