Bode George: Invasion of Oyo secretariat by agitators shows lack of intelligence gathering

Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the invasion of the Oyo state secretariat at Agodi in Ibadan, by some Oodua nation agitators shows a lack of intelligence gathering by security agencies.

Speaking in an interview with Arise TV on Monday, George said the action of the agitators was akin to treason.

On Saturday, armed and dressed in military camouflage, the agitators invaded the Oyo state secretariat.

They removed the Nigerian national flag at the secretariat and replaced it with their “Oodua nation flag” before the intervention of the security personnel.

Security operatives arrested some of them while others escaped into the nearby bushes.

Videos of the incident that appeared on social media showed two persons — a man and a woman — declaring that the “Oodua nation” had separated from Nigeria.

Speaking on the invasion of the Oyo state secretariat, the PDP chieftain said the video clip was like a scene from a “Nollywood” movie.

He said the agitators were wrong for carrying arms against their country.

“You just don’t go and arrange for people to take arms against your government. It is treason,” he said.

“They were lucky because they called the Amotekun first before the police arrived. If it had been people from my profession (military), they would have seen them as enemies and fired at them.

“I was completely very angry because that is not the way you talk — it is your government, government for the people, by the people, for the people.”

George said he was surprised that the plan of the agitators did not leak to security agencies before the actions were executed.

“What surprises me is that it didn’t leak to the intelligence department of this nation. They carried their weapons and were there in military uniforms, and nobody stopped them on the road,” he said.

“This calls for the urgent need for state police because they couldn’t have been meeting somewhere if we were well organised.

“After all, the state police and the SSS would have been there and prevented it. Now, they’ve carried out their mission.

“Also, what happened is a confirmation that, in terms of policing, intelligence gathering, is in short supply.”