Bode George Blames Agitators’ Invasion of Oyo Govt Secretariat on Failure of Intelligence, Backs State Police

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has blamed the invasion of the Oyo govt secretariat by Yoruba nation agitators on the failure of intelligence by the country’s security agencies.

It was reported that on Saturday, April 13, some suspected Yoruba nation agitators dressed in military camouflage and armed with weapons occupied and attempted to overwhelm security operatives at the Oyo State Assembly Complex and hoisted their own flag within the Assembly premises.

Speaking during an appearance on Arise TV on Monday, the elder statesman stated that the agitators carried out the planned invasion without the security agencies knowing, saying the incident pushed the urgent need for the establishment of state police.

He said: “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.

“This calls for the urgent need for state police because they couldn’t have been meeting somewhere if we were well organized. After all, the state police and the SSS would have been there and come to terms to prevent 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. What is the total population of the Nigerian police and intelligence departments at the national and state levels? Every political discussion is local, and we need to establish very urgently state police because state police will be people drawn from the area; they know the culture, norms, dos and don’ts, and information gathering will be much faster.”

Speaking further, Bode George called on President Tinubu to revisit the country’s educational curriculum.

“When we were in primary school, there was the teaching of civics, your responsibilities to your nation, and the responsibilities of the nations to yourself and the general area. I’m not sure if they teach civics or history anymore.

“How will these young men be able to handle this discussion? Something is missing; we need to revisit ourselves as a nation. If they had been taught history, they would have known the consequences. I want to advise the president to wake up and add it as part of the curriculum for education.”