Gani Adams, Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, has criticised the federal government’s handling of Sunday Igboho’s case.
Igboho is being held by Brigade Criminelle in Cotonou after he was arrested at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport, Cotonou, Republic of Benin, with his wife on their way to Germany on Monday night.
He was declared wanted by the Department of State Services earlier in July after his Ibadan house was raided on July 1, 2021 by the operatives of the DSS.
Two people were killed by the DSS in the late night raid while 12 other persons were arrested and later paraded in Abuja. They have since been charged to court.
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In a press statement signed by Kehinde Aderemi, Adams’ special assistant on media, the Aareonakakanfo said oppression of the people, corruption, injustice and bad leadership gave rise to agitators’ demand for self-determination, calling on the government to look inwards instead of hunting the agitators.
“I feel bad when the news of his arrest broke out on Monday evening and I started monitoring unfolding events. But I think the FG should be fair to the young man because any attempt to trivialise issues of agitations might set this nation on fire,” he said.
“The issue of self determination didn’t come up overnight. It was as a result of the long years of injustice, nepotism, and corruption occasioned by bad leadership. So, the FG will be making a big mistake if it decides to treat agitators of Yoruba nation as common criminals or enemies. Igboho has a right to his freedom.
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“Igboho’s case is gradually exposing FG’s plan to clamp down on all agitators and that is undemocratic, and also capable of turning government to tyranny of the majority, especially, from a government that came to power with a lot of hope and support from the people of the South-West.
“Right to self determination is also entrenched in Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on People’s Right.”
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