Barely five days after the Federal Government announced the arrest and repatriation of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, combined team of security agents have launched a wee-hours attack on Chief Sunday Igboho, Yoruba activist’s Ibadan home, killed his guards and allegedly carted away some arms.
The operation which was coordinated by the Department of State Services (DSS) left several vehicles destroyed and 13 people arrested and whisked away from his home including women early Thursday.
The DSS after the bloody attack, has declared Igboho wanted and asked him “to turn himself in to the nearest security agency.’’
Persecondnews reports that the offensive came less than 24 hours to a rally Igboho, who has been demanding the creation of ‘Yoruba nation’, had planned for Lagos on Saturday.
Briefing newsmen in Abuja on the midnight raid, Dr Peter Afunanya, the DSS spokesman, confirmed that the operation was carried out by a joint team of operatives as he also paraded 13 supporters of the activist.
According to him, some illegal arms including seven AK-47 rifles and thousands of ammunition were recovered from Igboho’s house.
He said: “In the early hours (about 0134 hours) of today, 1st July, 2021, a joint team of security operatives raided the residence of Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo a.k.a. SUNDAY IGBOHO at Soka, Ibadan, Oyo State. This was based on intelligence that he had stockpiled arms in the place. On approach to the residence, the team came under heavy gun attack by nine (9) men, suspected to be IGBOHO’s guards. Six (6) of them were armed with AK-47 gun and Three (3) others, with Pump-Action rifles.
“In the course of the exchange, two (2) of IGBOHO’s armed men were gunned down while the rest were subdued and arrested. Only one operative who was shot by the assailants on his right hand sustained injury. He has however received medical attention and is very stable.
“Afterwards, the team procedurally searched the house and subsequently recovered the following among others: seven AK-47 assault rifles, three Pump Action guns, thirty fully charged AK-47 magazines, 5,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five cutlasses, one jackknife, and one penknife, two pistol holsters and one binoculars.
“A wallet containing five US Dollars in one Dollar denomination, local and international driver’s licences in his name, ATM cards, a German residence permit No. YO2N6K1NY bearing his name, two whistles, fifty Cartridges,18 Walkie-talkies, three Voodoo charm jackets/traditional body armour, two laptops — (one Toshiba and one Compaq) and his international passport and those of many others (as displayed here). Further exploitation and forensic analysis are ongoing.’’
Afunanya said the DSS operatives killed two people at Igboho’s house during a “gun duel’’ between the agency and his supporters.
Justifying the killings and raid, the DSS official said the raid was based on intelligence that the youth leader “had stockpiled arms in the place”.
“On approach to the residence, the team came under heavy gun attack by nine men, suspected to be Igboho’s guards. Six of them were armed with AK-47 guns and three others with pump-action rifles.
“We inform Nigerians and the world that Sunday IGBOHO and his group, in the guise of campaign for self-determination, have become well-armed and determined to undermine public order. This, the arrests and seizures are, no doubt, a confirmation of a grand plan by IGBOHO and his cohorts to wage a violent insurrection against the Nigerian State.
“We alert foreign missions and licencing authorities within and outside Nigeria about this development and the possibility that IGBOHO could declare some of his personal permit and identity cards missing in order to seek their replacement.
`We apprise stakeholders that the Five (5) AK-47 assault rifles recovered from the building are suspected to be those collected by IGBOHO’s men from Nigerian Customs and Immigration personnel at Idi-Iroko, Ogun State.
“The gun duel which lasted for an hour offered IGBOHO the chance to escape. Sunday ADEYEMO a.k.a Sunday IGBOHO is now on the run. IGBOHO may run as far as he can. He may hide as long as he wants. He might have attacked security operatives as his strength carried him.
“But this will be the end of his shenanigans. Soon, he will not have a hiding place. His strength will sure fail him. And the law will catch up with him. The law may be slow. But it will be steady,’’ Afunanya told newsmen.
“Consequently, ADEYEMO/IGBOHO is advised to turn himself in to the nearest security agency. Those cheering and eulogising him may appeal to or advise him to do the needful.
“He should surrender himself to the appropriate authorities. He or anyone can never be above the law. Meanwhile, those arrested will be charged accordingly,’’ he said.
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