Headquarters of the Department of State Services may have requested the Lagos State Police Command to transfer the 49 arrested Yoruba Nation protesters to its custody in Abuja, FirstNews has learnt.
On Saturday, police arrested the suspects during the Yoruba Nation mega rally held at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos.
Hundreds of placard-bearing protesters had defied police ban and warnings to steer clear of the rally venue.
Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, one of the key promoters of the rally earlier announced its cancellation following a DSS raid of his Ibadan, Oyo State, residence, but he later made a U-turn, asking his supporters to turn out en mass for the protest.
FirstNews, however, learnt that the request by the DSS for the transfer of the 49 arrested Yoruba Nation agitators to its Abuja headquarters is part of the secret police’s plan to carry out a comprehensive investigation and profiling of Igboho’s supporters.
It was further gathered that the DSS and the police are now collaborating in the fight against the “menace” of secessionist groups across the country.
Phone calls made by our correspondent to the DSS spokesman, Dr Peter Afunanya, were not answered.
He also did not reply SMS sent to his phone as of the time of this report.