Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti state, says any attempt to arrest Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader better known as Sunday Igboho, will escalate the unrest brewing in the region.
On Friday, Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), had ordered the arrest of Igboho over the quit notice given to Fulani settlers in Oyo state.
Seyi Makinde, Oyo governor, also directed Ngozi Onadeko, commissioner of police in the state, to arrest persons found guilty of stoking ethnic tension.
In a Twitter post on Saturday, Fayose advised Makinde to deploy dialogue and meet with all stakeholders in order to bring the situation under control.
“Gov Seyi Makinde should rather use dialogue and persuasion instead of escalating tension in his own state by calling for the arrest of Sunday Adeyemo or anyone at this time,” Fayose said.
“If the federal government and some governors could ‘dialogue’ with Boko Haram terrorists, Gov Makinde calling all stakeholders to a round-table discussion will not be a misplaced action.
“Any attempt to arrest anyone will cause further threat to the already fragile peace in the West and the country as a whole. Above all, any unchecked escalation may lead to a state of emergency.”
On Friday, protesters in Igangan, Ibarapa local government area of Oyo state, had allegedly attacked settlements inhabited by Fulani groups, setting ablaze vehicles, houses — including the house of Salihu Abdukadir, Seriki Fulani, leader of the Fulani group.