IBADAN – Following the arrest of Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, in Republic of Benin, the Yoruba nation agitators on Wednesday staged protest in various strategic places in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, demanding for his release.
Igboho was arrested in Benin Republic on Monday night three weeks after the Department of State Services (DSS) declared him wanted.
Igboho’s arrest came over three weeks after the regime arrested the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in Kenya and brought him to Nigeria. Kanu was travelling with his British passport when he was arrested, and the UK government has said efforts were underway to extract an explanation from Nigerian authorities.
Buhari has said he would always respect the rights of Nigerians, but warned that separatist pushes are often violent with insurrection undertone that his government will not allow to fester.
On July 1, his residence was raided by operatives of the DSS, who confirmed killing two people and making several arrests.
The agitators had last week protested against the raid of Igboho’s residence by operatives of the DSS and demanded release of the 12 aides arrested in Igboho’s house.
A statement by Igboho’s spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, confirmed the protest, saying all supporters of the activists were enjoined to participate.
“Emergency, emergency, emergency; please, we beg all agitators to converge on the Chief Sunday Igboho’s house for a peaceful demonstration to show the world the kind of person he is as one of the conditions given for his release.
“Please, let’s all be at his house in Soka, Ibadan, before 12 noon today. Thanks and God bless. Yoruba nation now now now,” Koiki said.
Koiki had earlier said the Federal Government could not intimidate those agitating for self-determination of the Yoruba nation.
He also stated that he believes Igboho would get a proper representation in the court.
He said, “We are not going to allow the government to intimidate us. We are not going to allow the Federal Government and politicians to deceive us.
“We must remain strong and remain calm as we get freedom for Chief Sunday Igboho and the Yoruba race.”
Igboho was arrested while he tried to catch a flight to Germany with his wife.
The Federal Government had placed the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Customs Service on alert to stop Igboho from leaving the country.
As at the time of filing this story, the protesters had blocked the Lagos-Ibadan expressway demanding the release of Sunday Igboho.
The protests were currently going on at Soka, closed to his residence, blocking Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Challenge, centre of Ibadan city, despite several officers of the DSS stationed at Soka area.
‘Buratai’s ‘Letter’ To Benin Foiled Igboho’s Escape To Germany’
Meanwhile, Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho and his wife, Ropo, would have successfully travelled to Germany, on Monday.
PRNigeria said the swift intervention by Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd.) aborted the trip in Benin Republic.https://3b74ad935287adb989a9026007592572.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
It said credible intelligence pointed at Buratai, a past Chief of Army Staff (COAS), as the brain behind Igboho’s arrest.
It said an intelligence officer of Nigerian extraction in Benin said Buratai swung into action immediately Igboho was declared wanted by the Department of State Services (DSS).
“The ex-Army Chief knew that Igboho has the only option of first fleeing to any neighbouring African country sharing borders with Nigeria. And as Nigeria’s ambassador to Benin, which shares several borders with Nigeria, he could not be caught napping,” it said the source noted.
The source said it was in penultimate week that Buratai tinkered with the idea and then wrote the government of the Benin Republic.
“Gen. Buratai insisted on the arrest and extradition of the self-acclaimed Yoruba secessionist leader. His secret letter to the Benin government was delivered through the Nigerian embassy in Benin, asking them to be on the lookout for Igboho”, the source said, according to PRNigeria
