Police fire teargas, water canon at Yoruba Nation agitators in Lagos

The police on Saturday fired teargas and water canon at Yoruba Nation agitators who gathered at the Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota, Lagos despite heavy security.

The ‘show of force’ began on Friday and continued into Saturday to ward off agitators for an independent nation for the Yoruba.

But the agitators surfaced around 11.20am while the commissioner of police Hakeem Odumosu was addressing journalists. Gunshots were also fired.

Some of the agitators appeared in traditional outfits.

The umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, led by Prof Banji Akintoye had said the rally would continue despite Thursday raid on the residence of a key agitator Sunday Igboho by the Department of State Services.

At the Berger axis of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, security operatives stopped passenger vehicles in search of Yoruba Nation agitators.

At Ketu, near the Gani Fawehinmi Park, security operatives also searched vehicles.

It was gathered that security operatives asked commuters if they had any pro-separatists’ banner or weapons in their vehicles before giving a pass.