Stop Herdsmen Killings In S/West, Igboho Tells Buhari In New Year Message

The embattled Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also popularly known as Igboho, has called on
President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that every Nigerian is protected in 2022 irrespective of their ethnicity and religion.

Igboho, who is presently in detention in the Republic of Benin, urged the President to stop the killings, maiming and raping by criminal herdsmen in the South-West.

The activist said this on Friday in his New Year message issued by one of his counsels in Nigeria, Pelumi Olajengbesi.

He also explained that he was not at war with Buhari or any of the six governors in the South-West.

He said it was saddening that the president has not addressed insecurity, especially the atrocities being committed by herdsmen which made him to start the agitation for Yoruba Nation.

The message read, “Let it be abundantly clear that I am not at war with President Buhari, the governors or anybody in government. What I want the government to do is to address the genesis of my agitation for a Yoruba Nation.

“The genesis is the insecurity in Ibarapaland and other places in the entire Yorubaland where farmers were maimed, hacked to death, kidnapped and raped as if there are no security agents in the country. Everybody deserves to be protected and feel safe in their country regardless of their tribe, religion or political leanings.

“At some points our people became helpless and they can no longer go to their farmlands again. Scores of farmers were butchered to death in 2021 and the government pretends that all is okay. No, this must not continue and this was why I rose to stop the menace. I didn’t speak up to fight government, I spoke to ensure protection for our people.

“My message is that in 2022, the government should rise up and put an end to the havoc caused by herdsmen that are criminals and give everyone a sense of belonging – whether foreign or locals — and stop the attack of our people in Yorubaland.

“I am not selfish about myself, I am more concerned about helpless citizens who buried their loved ones to aimless killings in 2021 and I pray the Almighty God would stop the killings of innocent people in Nigeria.”

The Department of State Services had on July 1 raided the Ibadan residence of Igboho and killed two persons but the activist survived the bloody raid.

He was, however, arrested together with his wife Ropo at the airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on July 19 while traveling to Germany.

The Yoruba Nation activist has been in detention in the West African country since then.