An Ogboni leader, Tajudeen Bakare, who was arrested by the police during the Yoruba Nation rally on Saturday, has claimed that he was not part of the protest.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had on Sunday, paraded 49 suspects who allegedly participated in the protest, including Bakare and his Ogboni members.

While briefing the press at the command headquarters in Ikeja on Sunday, the police boss said “unfavorable intelligence” prompted the state government and the police to kick against the protest.

However, speaking with UGAMATV, Bakare said he was returning from worship when the police accosted him and his members, arresting them as members of the Yoruba Nation agitators.

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He said, “I am Tajudeen Bakare, the king of the Ogboni in Lagos and I have my members. Every first Friday is worship day for us. It starts at 11 pm and finishes around 5 am. I am the owner of the Jeep and my members were also in the car.

“But because we did overnight work, we couldn’t go home. So, we had to sleep until 10.30 am when we left for Ikorodu. We were on our way when somebody called to say that my money was available and told me to come to 7up to collect it. But as we were returning, and were descending from the bridge to link the Ikorodu Road, the police stopped us.

“The first set of police that stopped us checked my vehicle and told us to go, but it was unfortunate when the second set of police stopped us and after checking my vehicle said we could not go.

“As a king, I have my crown in the car; my Yeyelufe, Abiodun Taiwo, and Taiyese were also with me. We were not going for the rally; we were coming from where we went to worship.”