Adeyinka Gradson, the man who threatened to poison Northern Nigeria

A Nigerian man who identified himself as Adeyinka Gradson, the leader of Young Yoruba for Freedom, has called for Oduduwa Republic, threatening to attack Northern Nigeria with chemical weapons to contaminate the air and water.

Adeyinka Soyemi, who prefers the be known as Adeyinka Gradson, claims to have been born to an upper middle class Yoruba family with royal pretensions. He is an economist, and has been interested in politics for years. For a brief period, he wrote articles about Yoruba pride and articulated his support for an Oduduwa Republic. He is also a known supporter of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement.

This is not Gradson’s first controversy. Gradson, who has for some years, been using his Facebook profile to promote the agitation for Nigeria’s break-up was arrested by UK Police on August of 2015 following a bitter divorce from his wife. He was charged with aggravated assault with intention to commit murder, and appeared in court early in 2016.

According to Gradson himself, he and his wife had agreed to an amicable separation in 2012, and agreed to a financial settlement and joint custody of their children. This was after he filed for divorce. He claimed that their custody arrangement broke down because his ex-wife, Opeyemi, did not comply with it, and started accusing him of sleeping with other women.

On September 8, 2015, he claimed he reported to the police in London, and asked for help to take his children to school. However, they assaulted him claiming that he has attacked his wife.

Gradson spent five months in detention before appearing in court.