Tension gripped Ijebu Ode on Wednesday following a controversial security operation that saw heavily armed operatives lay siege to key locations ahead of the BAT/OGD Empowerment Tour.
Reports confirm that officers, believed to be acting under the authority of the Nigeria Police Force, stormed the Obanta Club and sealed off access routes leading to the residence of former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. The sweeping restriction effectively shut out supporters, organisers, and community participants expected to be part of the empowerment programme.
Eyewitness accounts describe a coordinated show of force, with strategic roadblocks mounted across major entry points in Ijebu Ode. Movement was severely restricted, creating an atmosphere of intimidation that stands in stark contrast to the democratic ideals Nigeria claims to uphold.
The BAT/OGD Empowerment Tour widely regarded as a grassroots-driven initiative aligned with the political philosophy of Bola Ahmed Tinubu has, in recent months, served as a platform for community engagement, economic support, and constituency-based evaluation. Its growing acceptance across Ogun East makes the timing and nature of this police action not only suspicious but deeply troubling.
There is, as of now, no official explanation from the authorities to justify what many are already describing as an unjustifiable suppression of a lawful civic engagement. The silence from the police hierarchy only reinforces concerns about political interference and abuse of state power.
Let’s be clear: deploying armed security personnel to obstruct a peaceful empowerment initiative is not law enforcement it is repression. It sends a dangerous signal that political participation, when it does not align with certain interests, will be met with force.
This development must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Nigeria’s democracy cannot thrive under the shadow of intimidation. The right to assemble, to engage, and to mobilise at the grassroots level is not a privilege granted by those in power it is a constitutional guarantee.
What played out in Ijebu Ode is not just an isolated incident, it is a test of Nigeria’s democratic resilience and if left unchecked, it sets a precedent that could embolden further acts of political suppression.
The people of Ogun East and indeed all Nigerians deserve better than this calculated display of force. The authorities must explain themselves, and more importantly, they must be held accountable.
~ Ayo Mojoyin Is a media practitioner and former NGIJ National President
