The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly declared Comrade Olawale Matthew, the Secretary of the Yoruba Nation self-determination movement, and three other leaders of the group wanted.
Those reportedly named on the wanted list include the movement’s Youth Leader, Omotoso Ebenezer; Organising Secretary, Adeniyi Kazeem; and Publicity Secretary, Mr Koiki.
According to a statement attributed to the DSS spokesperson, the four leaders of the Yoruba Nation self-determination movement were declared wanted in connection with their alleged roles in the continued “Yoruba Nation Now” protest held in Ketu, Lagos State, on January 9, 2023.
During the protest, two members of the movement were reportedly shot dead by the Nigerian police.
The activists were also allegedly linked to protests across the South-West region and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
In a statement reportedly made available to journalists, the DSS said Comrade Matthew and the three other leaders had been on the agency’s watchlist.
The agency also appealed to members of the public with information about their whereabouts to report to its headquarters in Abuja or the nearest police station. A reward of ₦5 million was reportedly announced for information leading to their location.
The spokesperson further stated that the wanted individuals would face prosecution if arrested.
Meanwhile, Comrade Ebenezer Omotoso is regarded as one of the prominent leaders of the Yoruba Nation self-determination movement.
According to accounts associated with the movement, he has survived several alleged assassination attempts attributed to suspected federal government agents and individuals described by supporters as Fulani bandits.
For Omotoso, a youth leader of the Yoruba Nation movement in the South-West region, life has turned into a harrowing ordeal of narrow escapes, constant flight, and profound personal losses as the state security operatives intensify actions against him and his family.
According to a family source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, this is the third time the DSS raided their family house in search of Omotoso.
He said that the security personnel manhandled and terrorised the occupants of the house.
According to the family source, Omotoso’s ordeal escalated further on January 10, 2023 while returning from a Yoruba Nation leaders’ meeting,
“As Omotoso attempted to sneak into his residence, he spotted armed security officers in his compound, and he drove off quickly . The operatives chased him and opened fire on his moving vehicle, causing it to somersault multiple times. He narrowly survived the crash and was rushed for emergency medical care after the DSS agents left the scene,” the source added.
Reports from the movement also alleged that Omotoso was shot at by the Nigeria Police in 2022 in an incident that nearly claimed his life. He was also said to have escaped other alleged assassination attempts.
However, these claims and the identities and motives of those allegedly responsible have not been independently verified.
The movement advocates for the Yoruba people’s right to determine their political status, establish their own state, and pursue their economic, social and cultural development without external interference.
The crackdown intensified in July 2021, when officers from the Department of State Services (DSS) lunched a violent midnight raid on the Sooka, Ibadan, Oyo State residence of Yoruba Nation leader, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho.
The assault left several supporters dead, many injured and dozens arrested. Shortly after, Igboho was intercepted and arrested on July 19, 2021 at the Cotonou airport in Benin Republic while attempting to flee.
Following the July 2021 raid, security agencies launched a widespread manhunt for Igboho’s associates and supporters, driving many into hiding or exile.
The reported declaration of Comrade Olawale Matthew and the three other leaders wanted, marks another development in the ongoing Yoruba Nation self-determination campaign.
The movement continues to advocate for the Yoruba people’s right to determine their political future, including the possibility of establishing an independent state.
