A former governor of Oyo State, Rasheed Ladoja has urged the Nigerian government to grant self-acclaimed Yoruba freedom fighter, Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho and leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu amnesty.
Ladoja cautioned that more of Igboho and Kanu will spring up if the Muhammadu Buhari administration do not handle their matter with wisdom.
Speaking with journalists in his Bodija, Ibadan residence on Tuesday, Ladoja lamented that the failure of successive governments to address challenges facing Nigeria led to emergence of separatists.
According to him, government should not treat the secessionist agitators like criminals but should offer them amnesty as they have done to repentant Boko Haram members in Northern Nigerian states.
Ladoja said: “Federal government has declared amnesty for Boko Haram, they should also declared amnesty for Igboho and the IPOB leader.
“Just like Kanu, to some people, Sunday Igboho has also become a leader, people are agitating for what they believe in. Yoruba leaders including the Alaafin of Oyo have been complaining about atrocities committed by suspected herdsmen and nothing has been done to it till now.
“Boko Haram members were arrested a year ago by the government and have been released to the Borno State government.
“Sunday Igboho was created in the context of killings in Ibarapa axis of Oyo State. Nobody has been arrested for it and even if they were arrested, they were later released. That is why people resorted to self- help.”
Igboho had led rallies in Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, and Ogun states. He threatened to hold the rally in Lagos on July 3 but his home was invaded barely 72 hours to the planned date.
While some of his aides were arrested with various weapons, according to security officials, he escaped and was declared wanted.
He has in the past also called for the eviction of Fulanis from South-west states, an action that was condemned by federal and state authorities.
Although the Nigerian government is yet to speak about Igboho’s arrest, reactions have started pouring in from different individuals.
