A Yoruba socio-cultural group, under the umbrella of Yoruba World Congress (YWC), on Sunday, said a peaceful protest would be organised on Tuesday across SouthWest region to protest against the Federal Government pronouncement on the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), Operation Amotekun.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued and signed by the group’s Director of Contacts and Mobilization, Comrade Victor Taiwo, who said the aim of the demonstration is to rally support for Operation Amotekun which was recently established by governors from region wage war against crime and criminals.
According to Taiwo, the protest will hold simultaneously in all the state’s capital of the SouthWest region on Tuesday which includes, Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Osogbo, Akure and Ado-Ekiti respectively around 9 am.
The YWC led by Yoruba Leader, Emeritus Professor of History and Second Republic Senator, Banji Akintoye, called on the SouthWest governors not to bow to pressure to back down on the security initiative
The statement said: “All Yoruba people are urged to come out in their millions anywhere they are in Oduduwa Land on Tuesday to show to the world that Amotekun has come to stay.
“We must show to the external forces and their internal collaborators who want to stampede our resolve to protect ourselves, safeguard our land from kidnappers, armed-robbery and put an end to consistent destruction of our farmlands that enough is enough.
“Well-meaning Yoruba people and leaders of thought would be at designated venues to address the protest.
“We want to assure our Governors that Yoruba people are behind them on Amotekun. We urge them not to shiver and they must never shiver. It is no retreat, no surrender. We will not surrender Amotekun.”
On the meeting points, those in Lagos are to converge at Gani Faweyinmi Freedom Park, Ojota; while those Oyo State are to converge opposite Agodi Cenotaph, Ibadan; Ogun State, Pansheke Junction, Abeokuta.
Those in Osun are to converge at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, Ondo meeting point is Alagbaka Roundabout, opposite First Bank, Akure while those in Ekiti are to converge at Fajuyi Roundabout, Ado-Ekiti.
The list of state coordinators, according to the statement, would be released after proper consultation with relevant stakeholders.