“I was not arrested” – Sunday Igboho says as Police, DSS, military cordon off venue of OODUA rally

Sunday Igboho

Yoruba self determination activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Igboho, has said that he was not arrested by security operatives as widely reported.

In a video released Friday, the activist who was declared wanted by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) after a raid on his residence in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, dismissed reports that a combined team of military and DSS operatives arrested him at the home of spiritual leader, Guru Maharaji in Ibadan.

The DSS had during the invasion of his home in Ibadan, claimed that his supporters engaged them in a shoot out during which two of his men were killed and a security agent was injured.

They had also alleged that arms and ammunition, travel documents and other exhibits displayed were recovered from his residence and that they were evidence that Igboho was planning to “undermining public order” and execute a grand plan “to wage a violent insurrection against the Nigerian State.”

Igboho swiftly denied that the weapons were his, insisting that they were planted by the security agents as a ploy to smear and silence him so that rampaging Fulani herdsmen could have free access to Yoruba land.

Many believe that the invasion of Igboho’s residence also had to do with the Yoruba rally scheduled for today, Saturday, July 3, 2021 by Igboho. It was an attempt to ensure that the rally did not go ahead, sources said.

There has so far not been any statement by the security agencies as to whether Igboho is in their custody or otherwise.

By Moses Omorogieve

Lagos, July 3, 2021

Meanwhile,the Nigeria Police and some other security agencies Saturday, cordoned off the Gani Fawehinmi Park in Lagos to prevent the planned rally of Oodua Republic agitators from taking place.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who was at the park, the venue, at about 7.00 a.m. on Saturday reports that more than 30 patrol vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Police, the DSS, TASKFORCE and OP MESA (military) were parked around the park.

NAN reports that the service lane of the Ojota-Ikorodu road was blocked by some of the vehicles, forcing commercial vehicles coming from Ketu to Maryland to take the expressway.

NAN reports that as at 7.15 a.m, the leader of the security team, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, who refused to be mentioned, said: “pressmen, nothing is happening here. It is just only police operation here. You can go out of here. We are with the media”.

As at press time, everywhere was calm and there were no signs of protesters around, while heavy security presence was also observed at Maryland.

NAN recalled that on Friday, the police and other security agencies embarked on a show of force to warn the agitators.

The Spokesman for the Lagos Police Command, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the show of force was to confirm their preparedness and commitment to the protection of lives and property of residents in Lagos State.

“A warning signal to the organisers of the said mega rally or any group of persons planning to stage any rally or procession in the state despite the warnings issued during the joint press briefing by the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, and the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, on Thursday.

“The command and the government of Lagos State has warned the organisers of the planned Oodua Republic Mega Rally, scheduled for Saturday, July 3, at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos, to steer clear of Lagos State, considering available intelligence reports on the planned rally and to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

“The command and other security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps and Department of State Services have, however, put measures in place to prevent any act of lawlessness, oppression and intimidation of any kind in the state,” he said.