Renowned Historian and leader of the umbrella body of Yoruba Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, Ilana Omo Oodua, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye, on Friday, warned the Federal Government against using force to thwart self-determination agitators for the emergence of Yoruba Nation. The former Senator also called on other Yoruba elites to emulate Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa by speaking truth to power in defense of Yoruba Land, saying “our elites have more to gain in Yoruba Nation than living in fear under the Federal Government.” In a statement by his Communications Manager, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye, Akintoye warned that any Nigerian Leader who orders shooting of Yoruba self-determination activists will have a date with the International Criminal Court, ICC. The statement reads: “This statement by Mr. Mudashiru Obasa is about the first forthright statement by any Yoruba highly placed public official on the issue of self-determination. Mr. Obasa has not only spoken truthfully; he has demonstrated unusual boldness. “His comment has helped to lift and boost my morale to keep marching like a valiant soldier in the journey to Yoruba redemption. The vast majority of Yoruba people are thanking and praying for Mr. Obasa today for speaking truth to the Federal Government. “We ask all our other public officials, politicians and the Yoruba elite to pick up courage to emulate Hon. Obasa now. It is their sacred duty to their Yoruba people, and they stand to receive great blessings by faithfully doing standing by their people. “All our elected and bureaucratic public official know what Hon. Obasa has now dare to proclaim -namely, that every nationality in the world has the right of self-determination, that a nationality’s right of self-determination is inalienable, and that, to seek to assert its self-determination, a nationality does not need the permission of the country to which it now belongs. “The overwhelming majority of the people of our Yoruba nation have made it absolutely clear that we Yoruba now want to assert our self-determination, separate our nation from Nigeria, and go forth to run our own Oduduwa Republic or Yorubaland, a country that will be highly respected in the world for its security, limitless opportunities for all our citizens and all law-abiding foreign residents among us, and eminent respect for human life and human dignity – a land of order, law, wealth and prosperity. “Seeking all these is entirely our right as a people. We have embarked on the journey to our goal, there is no looking back, and nobody can force us to give up. “Many other nationalities in Nigeria seek to assert their self-determination too, and we have announced our willingness to work with them as co-travellers seeking identical goals. The journey is advancing fast, and we already have good reasons to start congratulating ourselves. “We need to warn the government authorities who say they are determined to thwart our quest. You cannot stop us or any of the other nationalities seeking self-determination. When you say you have ordered the Nigerian police and military to be ruthless against us, we advise you to be aware that you might be breaking laws that cal lead you into serious criminal prosecutions in international criminal courts. “We, Yoruba, do not wish such a fate for any of the persons who are until now our co-citizens. The truth is that you cannot stop any nationality that is presently part of Nigeria from asserting their self- determination. “The United Nations Constitution, various United Nations conventions, the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, conventions of the African Union, all lay it down that every nationality in the world, large or small, have the inalienable right of self-determination . Nigeria is a signatory to all these laws, and therefore, these laws are all part of Nigerian laws. “Our ultimate advice to Nigeria is that negotiations be embarked upon now to enable the departures from Nigeria to be be negotiated in peace and in the spirit of brotherliness, so that as different countries, our nations may live as friendly neighbors in all our future. The Federal Government has a duty to humanity to lead us to such negotiation.”

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has been declared wanted by a Northern group, Daily Post reports . The group known as Northern Consensus Movement, NCM, declared Kanu wanted over the killings and destruction of properties owned by Northerners in the Southeast. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the President of the group, Dr Auwal Abdullahi, also placed a N100m bounty on Kanu. He said Kanu should be captured and brought to them for onward handing over to security agents. Abdullahi accused Kanu of using IPOB and the Eastern Security Network, ESN, to attack Northerners residing in the Southeast. According to Abdullahi: “We are declaring Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB and ESN wanted for the killings, destructions of properties of Northerners residing and undertaking their lawful businesses in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. “We call on all countries of the world to respect our sovereignty as a nation. Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, is the man and brain behind the killings and destruction of properties belonging to innocent northerners residing in South-Eastern Nigeria carrying out their legitimate businesses, using his proscribed terrorist organization, IPOB/ESN.” The group urged the United States, US, and German governments to repatriate Kanu back to Nigeria. “Northern Consensus Movement with these organizations has placed a bounty of N100 million as an offer to anyone who can produce Nnamdi Kanu alive, hale and hearty to us for onward delivery to security agencies for continuous prosecution,” he added. Lately, Northerners have suffered some measure of attacks in the Southeast. This is due to the killings carried out by suspected herders in the region.

The member representing Nkwerre/Isu/ Nwangele/Njaba Federal Constituency, Hon. Ozurigbo Ugonna on Thursday 17th June 2021 lost his father to the cold hands of death. Chief D.O. Ozurigbo the late father of the lawmaker was a towering figure in the politics of Old Nkwerre and a dedicated community leader in his home of Umuozu in Nwangele LGA. Before his death, he was the Chairman of OZB Group and the Chairman Eze in Council of Umuozu Community. Chief Ozurigbo passed on at the ripe age of 89 leaving behind a wife and 7 children who are all successful in their respective fields.

Several persons sustained injuries on Thursday night, following a tanker explosion in Ikeja, Lagos state. According to eyewitnesses, the impact of the explosion was felt inside buildings in the government residential area (GRA) axis of Ikeja. As of the time of this report, it wasn’t clear what caused the tanker to explode. The explosion is said to have occurred around Sheraton Hotel area, located on the Mobolaji Bank Anthony way in Ikeja. Ibrahim Farinloye, acting coordinator, south-west zonal office, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), told NAN that 13 persons were injured while 25 cars were destroyed as a result of the explosion. He said the explosion was alleged to have been caused by leakage while the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker was in motion. “The resulting fire travelled with the wind to the premises of Ogun State Property Investment Company (OPIC) Plaza besides Sheraton Hotels, which houses different commercial outfits including a Chinese Restaurant,” he said. “The fire was put out at about 12.30 a.m., after concerted efforts of five fire trucks from the Lagos State Fire Service and two trucks from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Response Unit. “The initial search and rescue activities revealed that 13 persons sustained various degrees of burns. Out of this, nine are males while four are females.” Farinloye said the affected victims were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). He said four of the victims with severe injuries were later transferred to the trauma and burns centre at Gbagada General Hospital. “Comprehensive post-disaster assessment on the extent of general damages would be done later today,” Farinloye added. The incident comes weeks after a fire razed the fabric section of Cairo market in Oshodi, Lagos. The Oshodi market fire occurred exactly six weeks before the latest incident. While goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in the market fire, no loss of life was recorded.