Disquiet in Ibadan as Army, DSS, Police attempt to arrest Sunday Igboho

By Boye Ajayi

Anxiety and fear pervaded parts of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Friday following an attempt by a combined team of soldiers, police and the operatives of Department of State Security (DSS) to apprehend a Yoruba socio-cultural activist and freedom fighter, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a Sunday Igboho.

Igboho has been at the forefront of the clamour for the eviction of killer-herdsmen from the Southwest and had visited the beleaguered Igangan community in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of the state and Ogun and Ondo states.

The attempt to arrest him came weeks after the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu issued an arrest warrant on him for giving an eviction notice to killer-herdsmen in Igangan and Oke Ogun parts of the state.

The activist was intercepted on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on his way to the Lagos home of Afenifere chieftain, Pa Ayo Adebanjo but was violently resisted.

He was said to have been stopped by a joint team comprising 40 officers and men but they were reportedly stiffly resisted by Igboho and those on his entourage.

Reacting to the incident, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani- Kayode, who had earlier paid a visit to Igboho in Ibadan, condemned the attempt to arrest him.

“I 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 and policemen numbering about 40 on the Ibadan/Lagos Expressway whilst he was on his way to see Baba Ayo Adebanjo in Lagos.

“I condemn this attempt to ambush and 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 and I urge restraint on all sides. Let me also send a warning to the Federal Government that Sunday Igboho is a hero to millions of Yoruba and either killing him or detaining him unlawfully would be the biggest mistake they could make.

“Building bridges, dialogue and the pursuit of peace is better than intimidation, threats, violence and war. A word is enough for the wise,” he said.