Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland has condemned the arrest of Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS) had on July 1 raided Igboho’s residence in the Soka area of Ibadan, arrested at least 12 of his associates and killed two others during a raid.
Igboho escaped and the DSS subsequently declared him wanted for allegedly stockpiling arms to destabilise Nigeria under the pretext of the Yoruba nation agitation – allegations Igboho denied.
The activist, who went underground, was, however, apprehended by Interpol at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic on Monday night.
Igboho and his wife, Ropo, were arrested while trying to catch a flight to Germany.
In a recent press statement signed by Kehinde Aderemi, Adams’ special assistant on media, the Aare Ona Kakanfo said oppression of the people, corruption, injustice and bad leadership gave rise to agitators’ demand for self-determination, calling on the government to look inwards instead of hunting the agitators.
“I feel bad when the news of his arrest broke out on Monday evening and I started monitoring unfolding events. But I think the FG should be fair to the young man because any attempt to trivialise issues of agitations might set this nation on fire,” he said.
“The issue of self determination didn’t come up overnight. It was as a result of the long years of injustice, nepotism, and corruption occasioned by bad leadership. So, the FG will be making a big mistake if it decides to treat agitators of Yoruba nation as common criminals or enemies. Igboho has a right to his freedom.
“Igboho’s case is gradually exposing FG’s plan to clamp down on all agitators and that is undemocratic, and also capable of turning government to tyranny of the majority, especially, from a government that came to power with a lot of hope and support from the people of the South-West.
“Right to self determination is also entrenched in Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on People’s Right.”
