Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has said criminalising the activities of Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo better known as Sunday Igboho by the Federal Government is undemocratic.
Speaking in a statement b his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, on Wednesday, Adams expressed sadness over the way the Igboho was arrested.
According to Adams, the plan by the FG to clamp down agitators is undemocratic and can make the government an enemy to the people.
He said, “Igboho’s case is gradually exposing FG’s plan to clamp down on all agitators and that is undemocratic, and also capable of turning government to tyranny of the majority, especially, from a government that came to power with a lot of hope and support from the people of the South-West”.
He also called on the FG to be fair in handling Igboho’s case as maltreatment may lead to war.
He said, “I think the FG should be fair to the young man because any attempt to trivialize issues of agitations might set this nation on fire.
“For example, the issue of self determination didn’t come up overnight. It was as a result of the long years of injustice, nepotism, and corruption occasioned by bad leadership.
“So, the FG will be making a big mistake if it decides to treat agitators of Yoruba nation as common criminals or enemies.
“Igboho has a right to his freedom. There is nothing bad for him to seek asylum in the Republic of Benin, and he is entitled to seek refuge in a foreign land if he thinks his safety cannot be guaranteed here in Nigeria.”
Recall this paper had on Tuesday reported that Igboho was arrested on Monday night after fleeing Nigeria to evade arrest by Nigeria’s secret police.
According to report, a source privy to his departure from Nigeria said he had perfected plans to secretly escape from Nigeria through Cotonou and was heading to Germany.
He was, however, nabbed by security operatives in the neighboring country.
Another source who is privy to the incident, said: “Sunday Igboho has been arrested in Cotonou. He was arrested about an hour ago.”
“He was supposed to travel to Germany through Cotonou this night. He wanted to leave Africa through Cotonou. He was arrested by security operatives in Cotonou.”
“They are planning to bring him back to Nigeria.”
It would be recalled that the Department of State Services had declared Igboho wanted after its operatives carried out a bloody midnight raid on his residence in the Soka area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
