Lasun Alagbe
Some elderly people who claim to be parents of the nine persons arrested by the military over Saturday’s invasion of the Government Secretariat, Ibadan, have said that their children are not part of the attackers.
According to them, they were part of a pseudo security/safety outfit called National Gallant Civil Squad, known to people in their locality.
They claimed it is headed by one Olugbemi Michael.
They said the presence of the fellows in the Secretariat area at the time was coincidental as they were allegedly on a visit to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) office to free their members earlier arrested by the corps. which claimed the group’s uniform imitated theirs (NSCDC).
The parents, who gave the names of those arrested by the military to include Idris Fatai, Emmanuel Oyedeji and Kabiru Ahmed, made the claim when they took their case to popular Ibadan-based broadcaster, Oriyomi Hamzat.
The ‘Agidigbo FM’ founder, in an online video on Sunday, called the attention of the military and Oyo State Government to the difference in the uniform of the said nine and the real alleged invaders, who were earlier by security agents.
He thus, on behalf of the parents, called on the authorities to properly investigate the matter, release the boys but deal decisively with the real invaders.
While there has not been any official response to the call, the status of the National Gallant Civil Squad is not yet clear.
