A Yoruba activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, says he remains unflinching in his fight against killer Fulani herdsmen terrorising the South-West region.
He also affirmed that he would not allow any Yoruba politicians to sway him with money or material wealth, adding that he was committed to the cause.
Sunday Igboho said this in a live broadcast on a programme, CityTalks with Reuben Abati, monitored by SaharaReporters on Saturday.
Igboho was accosted by security personnel on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Friday, in a attempt to arrest him.
In a viral video of the attempted arrest by the security agents, Sunday Igboho and his lieutenants who were on their way to Lagos for a meeting with the leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo, were harassed by the security agents.
Reacting, Igboho who spoke in Yoruba, said the incident was an attempt on his life by the Nigerian authorities.
“The DSS (Department of State Services), soldiers and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps attacked our vehicles on Friday, while we were on our way to honour a meeting with our father, Ayo Adebanjo,” he said.
He explained that the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Yinka Odumakin, had called about the meeting which he had to honour.
He said he had also planned to see the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Oba Gani Adams.
“Our brother, Odumakin had informed me that our father, Ayo Adebanjo wanted to see me about this cause we have started to bring back peace to our land.
“On our way, a white Hilux truck with security agents numbering 40 confronted us, asking ‘where is Sunday Igboho?’ ‘Is Igboho here?’”
Physical assault on Sunday Igboho
Igboho explained he alighted from his car to go and meet them, to ask for his offence why he was being hounded. He affirmed that one of the security agents gripped the collar of his shirt which led him to pull it off and asked him to have it.
He also claimed that the police were not involved in the incidence, insisting he was harassed by the DSS, soldiers and NSCDC operatives. He also alleged that some Yoruba political leaders might have conspired with the Nigerian government to get him arrested.
“It was an attempt to assassinate me. The police were not there. It was DSS, soldiers and the Civil Defence Corps. I suspected some of the conspirators were Yoruba politicians. I want to avow that my fight was that there should be peace in my family’s land which is Yorubaland.
“I want to declare here that there is no retreat in this cause. No politician should give me money. I don’t need their influence. I’m content with what I have. All I want is that there should be peace in our ancestral land, Yoruba.
“I want the whole world to help me ask the Nigerian government and its DSS, soldiers and Civil Defence Corps that were after my life, what my offence was.
“I pay my tax as a businessman, and I am fighting for my kinsmen to deliver them from criminal herdsmen that have been killing us, destroying our farmlands and raping our mothers and sisters. My fight is against them for kidnapping us and asking for ransom.
“Why are the security operatives not after some state governors and other public figures that are negotiating with bandits?”
When asked if he would take legal action against the security operatives for the alleged assassination attempt on his life, he said he had left that for Yoruba leaders and his supporters to do if they truly love and support him in this cause.
“About the violations of my human rights by these security operatives, I leave the case for the influential Yoruba leaders and my people that I’m defending, whether they will take legal action or not. That is solely their task at this time to really show if they like and support me in this cause.”
