Allegations and denials are trailing an alleged attempted arrest of non-state actor, Sunday Igboho by a combined team of Police, Army and Directorate of Security Services (DSS) along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway yesterday.
All hell was said to have broken out along the way when a joint team of soldiers, men of the Department of Security Services and policemen from the Oyo State Command’s Operation Burst allegedly attempted to abduct Igboho while on his way to Lagos to meet the National Leader of the Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo.
Reacting to the said report which had gained traction on social media, the DSS through its spokesman, Dr. Peter Afunanya denied any arrest attempt on Igboho saying, “The Department of State Services wishes to refute the news that it attempted to arrest one Sunday Igboho, today, at Ibadan, Oyo State. The said news is misinforming and should be taken as fake and therefore be disregarded. This is not true. The DSS did not arrest him. It did not attempt to do so too. Disregard such misinformation please.”
It was gathered that the operatives numbering over 40 men may have been aware of Igboho’s movements as they were waiting for him along the road.
Although Chief Adebanjo denied that Igboho was to meet him, the story was confirmed by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode who said that “I just spoke to my brother Sunday Igboho. He told me there was a violent attempt to arrest him this afternoon by a joint team of soldiers, DSS operatives and policemen numbering about 40 on the Ibadan/Lagos Expressway whilst he was on his way to see Baba Ayo Adebanjo in Lagos.”
Ighoho whose men were able to resist the attempted abduction have been showing video of the face-off with police.
Fani-Kayode condemned the attempted ambush and abduction, saying that “it is not only reckless but also very dangerous.
“If the security agencies want to see him all they need to do is to invite him to their office.
“I am not aware of any crime that he has committed and I urge restraint on all sides.
“Let me also send a warning to the FG that Sunday Igboho is a hero to millions of Yorubas and either killing him or detaining him unlawfully would be the biggest mistake they could make.
“Building bridges, dialogue and the pursuit of peace is better than intimidation, threats, violence and war. A word is enough for the wise.