We Killed Two, Arrested 13 Aides In Igboho’s House Raid, Says DSS

After an attack by the Department of State Services in Ibadan and suspects captured in the residence during their parade in Abuja…on Thursday, the home of Yoruba Nation agitator Mr Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho).

On Thursday, the Department of State Services displayed 12 of Sunday Igboho’s supporters, claiming that one other was being profiled.

Based on an intelligence report, the DSS said a joint team of security officers invaded Igboho’s home early Thursday.

The security team was engaged in a gun battle by nine men presumed to be Igboho’s guards, according to Peter Afunaya, a spokesman for the secret police national headquarters.

“A team of joint security operatives invaded Sunday Adeyemo’s apartment in Soka, Ibadan,” Afunaya said. This was predicated on information that he had a cache of weapons in the area.

“As the crew approached Igboho’s house, nine men suspected of being Igboho’s guards opened fire. Six of them were armed with AK-47 rifles, while the other three had pump action rifles.

“Three of the armed guys were gunned down during the exchange, while the remaining were subdued and captured. Only one operator, who was shot in the right hand by the terrorists, was hurt. He has, however, received medical care and is in good health.

“The hour-long gunfight provided Igboho with the opportunity to flee. Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, is currently on the run.”

Abdulateef Ofeyagbe, Amoda Babatunde, alias Lady ‘K,’ Tajudeen Erinoyen, Diakola Ademola, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Noah, Ayobami Donald, Adelabe Usman, Oluwapelumi Kunle, Raji Kazeem, Taiwo Opeyemi, and Bamidele Sunday were among those arrested.

The team searched the house and found seven AK-47 assault rifles, three pump action guns, 30 fully charged AK-47 magazines, 5,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five cutlasses, one Jack knife, one pen knife, two pistol holsters, a pair of binoculars, a wallet containing $5, local and international driving licenses in his name, ATM cards, and a German residence permit, according to Afunaya.

Three charm jackets/traditional body armour, two computers (one Toshiba and one Compaq), and his passport, as well as that of many others, are among the items.

Five of the AK-47 assault rifles recovered from Afunaya’s home were stolen from Nigerian Customs and Immigration employees in Idi Iroko, Ogun State, according to Afunaya.

Afunaya claimed that Igboho and his crew had become well-armed and motivated to destabilize public order under the cover of a struggle for self-determination.

He went on to say that the arrests and seizures were proof of Igboho’s and his associates’ big plan to fight a violent insurgency against the Nigerian state.

Soldiers and operatives of the Department of State Services, according to several of his advisers, carried out the invasion, which claimed the lives of five occupants of the residence.

The Nigerian Army, on the other hand, denied any involvement in the attack.

A blood stain was seen on the floor in front of Igboho’s house by one of our correspondents who paid a visit to him. Some vehicles and buildings on the site had their windows damaged.

One of the chalets had a large blood clot, indicating that someone had been murdered or seriously hurt, and one of Igboho’s assistants stated the victim, whom he identified only as Alfa, was praying inside the structure when he was shot in the head and died instantly.

Although government officials had been monitoring Igboho’s activities prior to the incident, a resident of the building speculated that the attack could be linked to the Yoruba Nation gathering slated for Saturday in Lagos.

Mr Oladiran Oladokun, the Convener of the Igangan Development Advocates, who visited the scene of the attack, told one of our correspondents that the invasion of Igboho’s home was an attack on the Yoruba people as a whole.

“Chief astonished every one of us, because the attackers were everywhere, yet he escaped,” one of Igboho’s aides said on condition of anonymity. Around 1.30 a.m., the intruders arrived, scaled the fence, and opened fire.

“I believe the order they were given was to kill any live thing they came across on the premises. They were being led by a lady. She was addressing the house’s occupants by their first names. This is to demonstrate that the information they relied on came from an insider.

“They took about N3 million from his (Igboho’s) chamber, along with his jewelry.”

“The assailants killed five people and took their bodies away,” claimed another inhabitant of the house, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. Some women who were the wives of the chief’s aides were also taken away. They took away the CCTV box so we wouldn’t be able to play backgammon.

Meanwhile, the Yoruba Council of Elders and Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, slammed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for the attack on the home of the Yoruba Nation agitator.

The YCE expressed concern about the invasion of Igboho’s home.

The Secretary-General of the YCE, Dr Kunle Olajide, who spoke with one of our correspondents in Ibadan, said the group was concerned about the incident.

He urged the Federal Government to investigate the attack and bring those behind it to justice very quickly.

Olajide stated, “It is unimaginable that Sunday Igboho’s home was so viciously attacked. Sunday Igboho is not violating any law of the land. There is freedom of movement and freedom of association in a democracy.

“The Yoruba Council of Elders is very disturbed by this. Much as we are not backing any secessionist and self-determination agenda for now, because we believe this country can still be salvaged, but reactions from authorities continue to show us that the government is insensitive to what the people are saying.”

On his part, Adebanjo said from all indications, the assault on Igboho’s home was sponsored by the government and described it as an attack on the Yoruba.

The 93-year-old stated, “It is a government sponsored attack from all indications. It is unfortunate, particularly for the Yoruba.

“Mr President has taken us back to the Abacha regime. It was the same they did to Alfred Rewane, Gen Alani Akinrinade, Chief Abraham Adesanya and many others, including members of NADECO. I have said before that this government is a tyrannical government.”

When asked if Igboho did not deserve to be arrested due to his opposition to Fulani herders, Adebanjo said if that was the reason why he was being attacked, then it showed that the government was partial.

Police warn against Lagos rally

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command has said it will not allow any rally in the state under any guise.

The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, warned organisers of the planned Yoruba Nation rally and their followers to stay off the streets of Lagos, adding that anyone caught would be dealt with according to the law.

Odumosu said intelligence reports available to the police indicated that some people had perfected plans to infiltrate the protesters and cause more mayhem in the state.

“Lagos State cannot afford to experience any security lapse, breakdown of law and order, and threat to public peace at the moment, considering the negative effects and reoccurring agonies of the October 2020 violent #EndSARS crisis that led to massive destruction of public and private facilities, while some police personnel paid the supreme price,” he said.

Meanwhile, Igboho has suspended the Yoruba Nation rally scheduled to hold in Lagos on Saturday.

Igboho, who spoke to the BBC News Pidgin, stated that the rally had been suspended.

His words come after a statement by the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, declared that the rally would hold as scheduled.

The statement was signed by its leader, Emeritus Professor, Banji Akintoye, and made available to journalists by his Communications Manager, Mr Maxwell Adeleye.

“We want to confirm again that the Pro-Yoruba Nation rally scheduled to hold on Saturday, July 3, in Lagos will proceed as scheduled,”