The Ilana Omo Oodua, the umbrella body for all self-determination groups in Yoruba land, on Sunday, debunked rumours that the leader of the group, Prof Banji Akintoye, has been kidnapped and his whereabouts unknown, describing the information as the work of people trying to destabilise the Yoruba race.

The group in a statement signed by its Media and Communications Secretary, Maxwell Adeleye, stated that Prof Akintoye is in good health and is safe, adding that the mission to cause crisis has failed.

“Sequel to series of calls and text messages we received in the last 10 hours on the safety of the leader of Yoruba self-determination struggle and the Alana of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye, we consider it sacrosanct, necessary and germane to make this rebuttal known succinctly.

“Professor Banji Akintoye is very safe, and he is in a good state of health in his home. The ongoing rumour that the member of the Second Republic Senate has been kidnapped and his whereabouts unknown is the handwork of forces who want to destabilise Yoruba land, and we put it to them very expressly that their mission has failed.

“The Yoruba people have decided, and they have taken a position to move out of the Golgotha. Once again, we appeal to the Yoruba people within and beyond the shores of Nigeria to be law-abiding and peaceful. On no condition should anyone engage in a violent confrontation with any of the security formations in the nation of Nigeria,” the group said. (Nigerian Tribune)

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