Acting National Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has described the attack on the Ibadan residence of Chief Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho), on Thursday, as a return to the dark era of the dictatorship of the maximum Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
This just as the Aare Ona Kakanfo, and leader, Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC), Iba Gani Adams described that incident as an attack on Yoruba race
The Afenifere leader, in a release by the spokesman of the organisation, Comrade Jare Ajayi, also said the attack, in which some people were reportedly killed and some amount of money taken away, was an indicator of a dark cloud descending on the country.
It was reported that some armed men, believed to be soldiers and men of the Directorate of State Security (DSS), attacked the residence of the Yoruba activist, Igboho, in Soka area of Ibadan.
Reports also have it that the invaders came in 15 vehicles with army identity while some of the men wore DSS uniforms, just as it was said that, at least, seven people were killed while an unidentified number were abducted and taken away by the invaders.
The attack came less than 72 hours to the plan by Igboho and others to hold a rally in Lagos to further canvas for a Yoruba nation, this week Saturday.
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation expressed the opinion that the manner of attack indicated culpability on the part of those in authority.
“The news of fatal attack on the residence of Mr. Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, in the early hours of Thursday, July 1, 2021, is a sad indicator that we are fast returning to the era of late Sani Abacha when anyone who expressed opinions contrary to government’s position would be fatally attacked.
“We are forced into this deduction for a number of reasons: Firstly, eye witness accounts indicate that vehicles and uniforms of the attackers were that of the security agencies.
“Secondly, the failure of security agencies to confront the attackers further implicated the government. It was reported that the attack lasted for more than three hours.
“Igboho’s residence is in a highly populated area within minutes’ reach to surrounding police stations. That no rescue team came from any of the police units, including the DSS office in Ibadan for the several hours that the attack lasted, makes it difficult not to believe that the government is complicit in the attack,” the release read.
Afenifere regretted that the incident was a sad reminder of what Nigerians went through under the inglorious regime of the late General Sani Abacha.
“We recall with sadness how voices that were opposed to the dictatorial tendencies of the Abacha regime were under serious attacks.
“We recalled how patriots like General Alani Akinrinade, Pa Abraham Adesanya and Pa Alfred Rewane, among others, were attacked, resulting in the untimely and gruesome murder of Pa Rewane,” Adebanjo said.
The release asserted that government security agencies are now becoming emboldened in violating the rights of the citizens because the previous violations were not checked.
“We recall how armed men of Customs Service, in the wee hours of the night, invaded Bodija Market in Ibadan to bugle the shops of traders in that market.
“Because the government officials that did it were not checked, they had the audacity to repeat the same action at Ojaaba Market also in Ibadan, about two weeks later.
“The fact that perpetrators of these acts were not arrested let alone tried in the court of law convinces us that they were state sponsored,” Chief Adebanjo said in the release.
The pan-Yoruba organisation asserted that it was forced to make this deduction because Sunday Igboho is known to be in the forefront of agitations to have a Yoruba nation.
“What is wrong in canvassing for self-determination, so long as such agitation is devoid of violence? The constitution the country is running guarantees the right of every Nigerian to express opinion and even carry out rallies as long as such are done without violence.
“To the best of our knowledge, none of the rallies that Sunday Igboho has led in his campaign for a Yoruba nation could be said to be violent nor was he implicated in illegal activities. Why then should he be subjected to the kind of treatment his household received on Thursday morning?” Adebanjo asked.
Afenifere further said, assuming that Igboho actually committed an offence, “when did it become the norm to go and bombard the house of a suspect in the dastardly manner that armed forces attacked Igboho’s house early this morning?”
The group maintained that a total stop must be put to the unprovoked attack on innocent citizens in the country.
“Not only that, we insist that the government must immediately apprehend the attackers and make them face the full wrath of the law. Government should also stop any plan to harm Igboho or any other person not known to contravene the law of the land,” the statement added.
Iba Gani Adams in a separate statement described the attack on ChiSunday Igboho)’s house in the early hours of today, as an attack on the Yoruba race.
This was as he alleged that the attack on the Yoruba activist was a ploy to silence him from expressing his views on the state of the nation.
Aare Adams, however, charged the Federal Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ugly incident and also bring the perpetrators to book.
Adams, in a statement on Thursday, by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, described the attack leading to the alleged death of some persons and wanton destruction of his property as very unfortunate.
The Yoruba generalissimo said the attack has really exposed the Federal Government, especially, on the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, insisting that the incident was a predetermined ploy to silence Igboho from the struggle for the Yoruba nation, which, according to him, is what many Yoruba, both home and abroad, want at the moment.
“The attack on Sunday Igboho’s house is most unfortunate. It is a reflection of the fact that our lives as Nigerians are of no value to the government. And the truth is that nobody is safe in this country.
“The recent attack was the second in six months.The first was in January when his Soka residence was razed by unknown arsonists. And up till date, nobody had been apprehended in respect of the ugly incident.
“Those agitating for Yoruba Nation have been the targets of this administration and the two attempts at Igboho’s houses within six months cannot be said to be ordinary.They were ploys to cow him and frustrate him.
“We cannot continue to live in fear and trepidations. We cannot continue to live in perpetual crisis where our lives and properties are not secured.
“Igboho is being hunted because of his belief in the struggle for the liberation of the Yoruba race and those behind these two attacks should be warned that any attack on Igboho is an attack on all of us that are in the struggle for the liberation of the Yoruba race.
“It is sad that this government is intolerant of other people’s views. Let me say this for emphasis that it is in the interest of the Federal Government to learn how to manage those agitating.
“Yoruba are seeking self-determination or devolution of power. These are the two key things we are asking from the Federal Government. So, of the two requests, the Federal Government should be ready to negotiate for one, rather than using force to subdue agitators.
“For instance, the British government didn’t, at any time, subdue the agitations of Scotland or Ireland. Even in Canada, Quebec settled for a region after seeking self-determination from Canada. It is their legitimate right and such must be protected under the ambit of law.
“As a government, it is your duty and responsibility to change people’s views through better policy implementation and programmes that are in the interest of the mass of the people. Not the other way round.
“The video clip of the attack on Sunday Igboho’s house was a show of death and destruction. About eight people were allegedly killed in the attack, with wanton destruction to his property.
“The information at my disposal also indicates that the attack was allegedly done by the Nigerian Army in collaboration with foreign terrorists.
“Imagine if Igboho was killed in the attack, it might lead to a raging war. Remember the case of Boko Haram leader, Muhammed Yusuff, who was killed in 2009. The death of Yusuff became Nigeria’s nemesis and Boko Haram has created the most challenging problem in Nigeria till today.
“As far as I am concerned, I don’t support anything that negates the law or anybody that disobeys the law. However, the Federal Government should be able to tolerate other people’s view, by taking into consideration the rights of every citizen as it is in the constitution. This is what makes democracy thrive,” Gani Adams said. National Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has described the attack on the Ibadan residence of Chief Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho), on Thursday, as a return to the dark era of the late maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha.
This came just as the Aare Ona Kankanfo, Iba Gani Adams described the attack as an attack on Yoruba race.
The Afenifere leader, in a release by the spokesman of the organisation, Comrade Jare Ajayi, also said the attack, in which some people were reportedly killed and some amount of money taken away, was an indicator of a dark cloud descending on the country.
It was reported that some armed men, believed to be soldiers and men of the Directorate of State Security (DSS), attacked the residence of the Yoruba activist, Igboho, in Soka area of Ibadan.
Reports also have it that the invaders came in 15 vehicles with army identity while some of the men wore DSS uniforms, just as it was said that, at least, seven people were killed while an unidentified number were abducted and taken away by the invaders.
The attack came less than 72 hours to the plan by Igboho and others to hold a rally in Lagos to further canvas for a Yoruba nation, this week Saturday.
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation expressed the opinion that the manner of attack indicated culpability on the part of those in authority.
“The news of fatal attack on the residence of Mr. Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, in the early hours of Thursday, July 1, 2021, is a sad indicator that we are fast returning to the era of late Sani Abacha when anyone who expressed opinions contrary to government’s position would be fatally attacked.
“We are forced into this deduction for a number of reasons: Firstly, eye witness accounts indicate that vehicles and uniforms of the attackers were that of the security agencies.
“Secondly, the failure of security agencies to confront the attackers further implicated the government. It was reported that the attack lasted for more than three hours.
“Igboho’s residence is in a highly populated area within minutes’ reach to surrounding police stations. That no rescue team came from any of the police units, including the DSS office in Ibadan for the several hours that the attack lasted, makes it difficult not to believe that the government is complicit in the attack,” the release read.
Afenifere regretted that the incident was a sad reminder of what Nigerians went through under the inglorious regime of the late General Sani Abacha.
“We recall with sadness how voices that were opposed to the dictatorial tendencies of the Abacha regime were under serious attacks.
“We recalled how patriots like General Alani Akinrinade, Pa Abraham Adesanya and Pa Alfred Rewane, among others, were attacked, resulting in the untimely and gruesome murder of Pa Rewane,” Adebanjo said.
The release asserted that government security agencies are now becoming emboldened in violating the rights of the citizens because the previous violations were not checked.
“We recall how armed men of Customs Service, in the wee hours of the night, invaded Bodija Market in Ibadan to buggle the shops of traders in that market.
“Because the government officials that did it were not checked, they had the audacity to repeat the same action at Ojaaba Market also in Ibadan, about two weeks later.
“The fact that perpetrators of these acts were not arrested let alone tried in the court of law convinces us that they were state sponsored,” Chief Adebanjo said in the release.
The pan-Yoruba organisation asserted that it was forced to make this deduction because Sunday Igboho is known to be in the forefront of agitations to have a Yoruba nation.
“What is wrong in canvassing for self-determination, so long as such agitation is devoid of violence? The constitution the country is running guarantees the right of every Nigerian to express opinion and even carry out rallies as long as such are done without violence.
“To the best of our knowledge, none of the rallies that Sunday Igboho has led in his campaign for a Yoruba nation could be said to be violent nor was he implicated in illegal activities. Why then should he be subjected to the kind of treatment his household received on Thursday morning?” Adebanjo asked.
Afenifere further said, assuming that Igboho actually committed an offence, “when did it become the norm to go and bombard the house of a suspect in the dastardly manner that armed forces attacked Igboho’s house early this morning?”
The group maintained that a total stop must be put to the unprovoked attack on innocent citizens in the country.
“Not only that, we insist that the government must immediately apprehend the attackers and make them face the full wrath of the law. Government should also stop any plan to harm Igboho or any other person not known to contravene the law of the land,” the statement added.
Gani Adams also described the attack on Sunday Igboho’s house in the early hours of today, as an attack on the Yoruba race.
This was as he alleged that the attack on the Yoruba activist was a ploy to silence him from expressing his views on the state of the nation.
Aare Adams, however, charged the Federal Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ugly incident and also bring the perpetrators to book.
Adams, in a statement on Thursday, by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, described the attack leading to the alleged death of some persons and wanton destruction of his property as very unfortunate.
The Yoruba generalissimo said the attack has really exposed the Federal Government, especially, on the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, insisting that the incident was a predetermined ploy to silence Igboho from the struggle for the Yoruba nation, which, according to him, is what many Yoruba, both home and abroad, want at the moment.
“The attack on Sunday Igboho’s house is most unfortunate. It is a reflection of the fact that our lives as Nigerians are of no value to the government. And the truth is that nobody is safe in this country.
“The recent attack was the second in six months.The first was in January when his Soka residence was razed by unknown arsonists. And up till date, nobody had been apprehended in respect of the ugly incident.
“Those agitating for Yoruba Nation have been the targets of this administration and the two attempts at Igboho’s houses within six months cannot be said to be ordinary.They were ploys to cow him and frustrate him.
“We cannot continue to live in fear and trepidations. We cannot continue to live in perpetual crisis where our lives and properties are not secured.
“Igboho is being hunted because of his belief in the struggle for the liberation of the Yoruba race and those behind these two attacks should be warned that any attack on Igboho is an attack on all of us that are in the struggle for the liberation of the Yoruba race.
“It is sad that this government is intolerant of other people’s views. Let me say this for emphasis that it is in the interest of the Federal Government to learn how to manage those agitating.
“Yoruba are seeking self-determination or devolution of power. These are the two key things we are asking from the Federal Government. So, of the two requests, the Federal Government should be ready to negotiate for one, rather than using force to subdue agitators.
“For instance, the British government didn’t, at any time, subdue the agitations of Scotland or Ireland. Even in Canada, Quebec settled for a region after seeking self-determination from Canada. It is their legitimate right and such must be protected under the ambit of law.
“As a government, it is your duty and responsibility to change people’s views through better policy implementation and programmes that are in the interest of the mass of the people. Not the other way round.
“The video clip of the attack on Sunday Igboho’s house was a show of death and destruction. About eight people were allegedly killed in the attack, with wanton destruction to his property.
“The information at my disposal also indicates that the attack was allegedly done by the Nigerian Army in collaboration with foreign terrorists.
“Imagine if Igboho was killed in the attack, it might lead to a raging war. Remember the case of Boko Haram leader, Muhammed Yusuff, who was killed in 2009. The death of Yusuff became Nigeria’s nemesis and Boko Haram has created the most challenging problem in Nigeria till today.
“As far as I am concerned, I don’t support anything that negates the law or anybody that disobeys the law. However, the Federal Government should be able to tolerate other people’s view, by taking into consideration the rights of every citizen as it is in the constitution. This is what makes democracy thrive,” Gani Adams said.
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