…Oyo govt denies complicity in alleged attempt
Popular Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, said the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) wanted to assassinate him on Friday.
Igboho stated this on Sunday while reacting to the commotion that ensued between his supporters and the joint team of soldiers, Department of State Services, DSS.
Igboho was on his way to see Afenifere chieftain, Pa Ayo Adebanjo in Lagos when the joint team, numbering about 40 ambushed him and wanted to arrest him on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
His supporters, however, resisted his arrest as commotion ensued between his supporters and the joint team which sought to arrest him by force.
However, in a viral video, a shirtless Igboho was seen with his men daring the security operatives and throwing expletives.
While featuring on a radio programme, ‘City Talks with Reuben Abati’, Igboho said he pulled off his shirt because one of the DSS operatives rough handled him and violently held onto his shirt around his neck area.
He noted that a joint team of DSS operatives, soldiers, and civil defence were on the Friday mission to arrest him, noting that there was no policeman on the team.
Igboho said, “Why I pull off my cloth was that one of the DSS operatives violently held onto my shirt. So, I decided to pull off the cloth and give it to him for us to drag the matter.
“They started shooting when we began to drag the matter. The whole episode was an embarrassment for me. I am a responsible man, I am a Yoruba citizen, I am fighting for the rights of the Yoruba people. They don’t have to embarrass me.”
Continuing, the rights activist said, “I’m a businessman. I pay my tax to the Federal Government every month and I have evidence of tax payment. Should I be going on the road and some people attempt to kill me? For what? Why do they want to kill me because their plan on Friday was to assassinate me. Why?
“There is insecurity in the country. Fulani people are raping our people and killing our people in the forests but the security operatives are not going there to confront them. Instead, they are offered ransom. It is just sad that the government is threatening the common man living peacefully in the country. It should not be so.”
Meanwhile, the DSS denied the attempted arrest but Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), amongst others have since condemned the DSS attempt.
Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, had said the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, ordered the arrest of the rights activist but many Nigerians had condemned such move.
Meanwhile, the Government of Oyo State has denied involvement in the violent attempt by a joint team of soldiers, Department of State Services, DSS and policemen to arrest popular Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho on Friday afternoon.
The State Commissioner for Information, Doctor Wasiu Olatunbosun said that Governor Seyi Makinde did not give the order for Igboho’s arrest.
Olatunbosun said Makinde could not have instructed the Security Operatives because they are not under his control.
The Commissioner was reminded that a vehicle belonging to Operation Burst, a security outfit of the Oyo State government was at the scene of the incident, Olatunbosun simply asked “who controls the DSS, who controls the Police, is it not the federal government? I think all questions on this development should be directed at these security operatives. Oyo State government does not know anything about this”.
“A governor is just the Chief Security Officer of his State on paper. These Security Operatives don’t take instructions from the governor “.
“As a government, we release fund for the operations of these security agencies but we don’t control their activities”.
“When there was a crisis in Igangan, Operation Burst was commissioned to go with Amotekun to comb the forest but they declined to say they did not get signal from above”. Whenever the State government gives an assignment to the security operatives, they take orders from above and only discharge their duties based on this. So, with this development, could the State government have asked the DSS and Police to arrest Sunday Igboho?”.
“Let me state it clear – Oyo State government does not know anything about the attempted plan to arrest Igboho”.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Police have also denied involvement in the incident
