The Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has asked the Federal Government to apologise to Yoruba nation activist Chief Sunday Adeyemo over the invasion of his Ibadan residence, describing the July 1, 2021, raid by a combined team of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Army as unlawful and criminal.
It is recalled that the invasion of Igboho’s residence, located around Soka in Ibadan, Oyo State, was carried out during the regime of the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari over allegations that he was stockpiling arms and ammunition.
In a video posted by Igboho’s media aide, Olayomi Koiki, Soyinka — who said that the Yoruba nation activist should not be pursued as a criminal — advised the Federal Government to apologise to him over the incident, which led to the killing of two of his aides and the arrest of 13 supporters.
Though it could not be ascertained when the video was released, the Nobel Laureate was responding to questions during an interview on the invasion of Igboho’s residence in Ibadan, the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu (leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB), bandit attacks and other insecurity challenges plaguing Nigeria.
According to the video, sighted by journalists, Soyinka stated: “My advice is not so much to Igboho but to the government — that they should stop pursuing this person as a criminal because you (government) have begun by acting in a criminal fashion against him.
“Because if and when Igboho comes to trial I guarantee you that the government will be very embarrassed. It’s not in the interest of the government. I think they should just tell Igboho, ‘we made a mistake; we should not have acted this way; you are no longer wanted — go back to your home,’ and in fact escort him to his home quietly and let him resume his normal life.”
Soyinka continued: “To declare him wanted — and again this is another issue of language — I read in some papers that Igboho is in hiding. But more accurately he has probably just gone underground to protect himself and perhaps be able to continue his declared struggle.
“I’m not talking about the secessionist aspect. I’m talking about what Igboho came out to do and I believe it is still his mission in this nation to protect and defend his own people and to let the aggressors know that they are not lords of this nation or any section of it beyond what they are constitutionally entitled to.
“I think the government, in its known interest, if you bring Igboho to trial he’s going to get mud in your face, clearly. As far as I’m concerned it is up to Igboho to decide. He knows what the circumstances were. He knows what happened before his people were killed and he’s the only one who can decide for himself. I cannot advise him.”
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