“Cracking Down on Dissent: The Government’s Pursuit of Secessionists”

Security Forces launch widespread search for Sunday Igboho, and others . The Department of State Services (DSS) has launched a manhunt for Yoruba Nation Agitator Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, and some of his key agitators who were declared wanted following a recent operation at his home.

This is coming on the wake of the sudden disappearance of Igboho and some of his cohorts leading to a manhunt for those believed to be linked to his secessionist agenda. Among those reported wanted by the DSS are Sunday Ighoho, Sikiru Oyekunle, Ojelabi Akande, Yusuf Akinyemi, Olabode Adebowale, Bashiru Onalade and Bose Ajetumobi.

Recall that the Department of State Services, DSS carried out a midnight raid on Thursday, July 1, 2021, at Igboho’s residence in the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State. The operation seemed like a high-stake mission to apprehend the leader of the Yoruba Nation Agitators and disrupt his activities.

The operation was marked by chaos with gunfire shattering the calm and peace of the night. Two persons were killed during the raid, while several others sustained grievous injuries. Bloodstains were visible across the premises when reporters arrived later that day, and bullet holes riddled the walls and vehicles in the compound.

Igboho’s spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, accused the operatives of using excessive force and claimed the attackers included military personnel,the army to be precise. “The situation is so bad and terrible two Yoruba sons have been killed in the house of Chief Sunday Igboho. The bodies have been taken away by the military, and their location is unknown,” Koiki said during a Facebook Live broadcast.

Meanwhile the DSS confirmed recovery of several items from Igboho’s residence, including a cache of firearms and ammunition. Recovered items included: 30 AK-47 magazines, 5,000 rounds of ammunition, three locally made bulletproof jackets and a German resident permit belonging to Sunday Igboho .

Thirteen other suspects were arrested during the operation, comprising twelve males and one female. The DSS disclosed that twelve of the arrested individuals were paraded in Abuja, while one of suspect was still being profiled. The paraded suspects were identified as: Abdulateef Ofeyagbe, Amoda Babatunde (alias Lady K), Tajudeen Erinoyen, Diakola Ademola, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Noah, Ayobami Donald, Adelabe Usman, Oluwafelumi Kunle, Raji Kazeem, Taiwo Opeyemi, Bamidele Sunday
The DSS has also called on Igboho and other wanted associates to surrender to authorities to face justice.

However, in the aftermath of the raid, key supporters of Igboho have reportedly gone into hiding to evade arrest. The DSS has intensified its
search for individuals believed to be close allies of the activist. The security agency has vowed to apprehend all accomplices and collaborators.

Earlier, there has been a series of confrontations involving Igboho and Nigerian authorities. In January 2021, Igboho issued a seven-day ultimatum to killer herders in the Ibarapa area of Oyo State, accusing them of violent crimes, including kidnapping and killings. His ultimatum culminated in the eviction of Fulani leader Seriki Saliu Abdulkadir and his men from Igangan.

This move earned Igboho widespread support among some Yoruba communities but also drew the ire of the Federal Government.

Tensions escalated in February when an attempted arrest of Igboho along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by DSS operatives led to a public altercation. In a viral video, Igboho and his supporters confronted the operatives with Igboho defiantly vowing to continue his activism.

Earlier in the year, his residence had also been attacked by unknown assailants, raising questions about his safety and the broader implications of his secessionist agenda concerning the Yoruba Nation.

The July 1 raid occurred just days before a planned Yoruba Nation rally in Lagos, which Igboho later canceled, citing security concerns. The rally was part of a larger campaign advocating for the secession of the Yoruba people from Nigeria, a movement fuelled by claims of marginalization and worsening insecurity in the South-West region.

However, the recent invasion of Ighoho’s residence by the DSS has drawn sharp criticism from prominent Yoruba leaders and activists. Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, decried the attack as an affront to Yoruba self-determination. “Igboho is being hunted because of his beliefs in the struggle for the liberation of the Yoruba race. Any attack on Igboho is an attack on all of us,” Adams stated.

Professor Banji Akintoye, leader of the Ilana Omo Oodua group, also condemned the invasion, alleging that the attackers spoke French and wore military uniforms. “We are undeterred in our quest for Yoruba Nation. No amount of intimidation will stop us,” Akintoye said.

On its part, the Federal Government has maintained its stance on the unity of Nigeria, dismissing calls for secession and urging agitators to pursue their grievances through lawful means cum channels.

In addition, the raid on Thursday, has raised fresh concerns about the use of force in addressing political dissent. The death of two individuals during the operation has sparked outrage among Yoruba groups, with many accusing the government of targeting Igboho while failing to address insecurity in other parts of the country.

Some critics have also pointed to the perceived double standards in the government’s approach to security. For instance, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi,
who has been seen engaging with bandits in the northern states, has not faced similar treatment. Presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu defended the government’s actions, emphasizing that Igboho’s activities posed a direct threat to national security.