…40 soldiers, policemen, DSS operatives attempted to arrest Igboho, says Fani-Kayode
A mild drama occurred on Friday when security operatives intercepted the convoy of Yoruba Youth leader, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Igboho was said to be on his way to Lagos when a combined team of policemen and Department of State Services operatives stopped his convoy on the highway.
A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, also alleged that there was an attempt by the police and the DSS to arrest Igboho, on Friday.
Igboho was seen bare- chested and without any shirt in a trending video surrounded by a crowd of young people along the highway.
Patrol vehicles of a security outfit, ‘Operation Burst’, were also seen in the video.
But a source said Igboho was not the target of the security operatives who were after a criminal suspect.
The source said when security operatives flagged Ighoho down, he identified himself but the people in his convoy, who misunderstood the situation and thought the operatives wanted to arrest him, charged at the police and DSS men.
The security operatives, who were said to have established that he was not their target, were said to have later allowed him to continue with his journey.
But Fani-Kayode alleged that there was actually an attempt by the police and DSS to arrest Adeyemo.
Igboho had recently given herders in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, a seven-day ultimatum to leave the community.
He had accused Fulani herders of being behind the kidnappings and killings in the area.
Igboho’s utterances reportedly incited some of his supporters who later destroyed houses and cars, including those of the Seriki Fulani of Igangan, Saliu Kadri.
Igboho’s quit notice to the Fulani herders, which sparked tension in some parts of the state, prompted Governor Seyi Makinde to ask the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to arrest those fomenting trouble in Oyo.
The IGP, thereafter, directed Ngozi Onadeko, Oyo Commissioner of Police, to arrest Igboho and transfer him to Abuja, but some Yoruba leaders, including Fani-Kayode, were against the order.
Fani-Kayode, in a tweet on Friday, said he was informed by Igboho that there was “a violent attempt” to arrest him by a joint team of soldiers, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), and police officers along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
“I just spoke to my brother, Sunday Igboho. He told me there was a violent attempt to arrest him this afternoon by a joint team of soldiers, DSS operatives & policemen numbering about 40 on the Ibadan/Lagos Expressway whilst he was on his way to see Baba Ayo Adebanjo in Lagos,” Fani-Kayode wrote.
The former minister condemned the “ambush”, and warned the Federal Government that any attempt to detain Igboho would be a big mistake.
“I condemn this attempt to ambush & abduct him. It is not only reckless but also very dangerous. If the security agencies want to see him all they need to do is to invite him to their office. I am not aware of any crime that he has committed & I urge restraint on all sides,” Fani-Kayode added.
“Let me also send a warning to the FG that Sunday Igboho is a hero to millions of Yorubas & either killing him or detaining him unlawfully would be the biggest mistake they could make. Building bridges, dialogue& peace is better than violence & war. A word is enough for the wise.”