Buhari Blasts Igboho For Campaigning Against Fulani Herdsmen

President Muhammadu Buhari praised the State Security Service (SSS) for storming Sunday Igboho’s home on Tuesday, branding Mr Igboho as a “militant” who has been disrupting the country’s peace in the name of safeguarding his people from Fulani herdsmen attacks.

Last Thursday, the SSS attacked the residence of Mr Igboho, a proponent of a sovereign Yoruba nation, murdering two people and declared him wanted, alleging that he had a cache of weapons and is plotting an insurgency against the country.

Mr Igboho, however, who stood up to Fulani herdsmen attacks on towns in Oyo State while the government appears to do nothing to address the threat across the country, has denied owning illegal firearms, claiming that the SSS planted arms in his house to implicate him.

Mr Buhari, in a statement by his spokesperson Garba Shehu on Tuesday, however commended the SSS for raiding Mr Igboho’s house, saying Mr Igboho has been disturbing the peace under the guise of protecting fellow kinsmen.”

“In furtherance of continued diligent work, the State Security Service on Thursday, 1st July raided the residence of a militant ethnic secessionist, who has also been conducting acts of terror and disturbing the peace under the guise of protecting fellow “kinsmen”,” Mr Buhari said.

He further said that Mr Igboho’s “seditious utterances and antics, which he is known to have publicly expressed, have overtime morphed into very hateful and vile laden speeches.”

“It must be highlighted that the government respects fundamental rights of citizens to express their views and recognises this as a democratic tenet. However, any attempt to build an armoury coupled with plans either subtle or expressed to undermine our unity as a nation will not be condoned,” Mr Buhari said.

The raid on Mr Igboho’s home has been condemned by many. Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana said no law permit such raid, condemning the SSS for acting like armed robbers.

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka said President Muhammadu Buhari regime acted in a criminal fashion against Mr Igboho, adding the Nigerian government should tender apologies to the agitator for invading his home and destroying his property.

But Mr Buhari said “The successes of our security agencies must be commended as they have demonstrated significant deftness, guile and secrecy in carrying out these missions.

“This level of professionalism must be sustained and brought to bear as we focus on extracting from our society those who have found a new trade in targeting students, rural dwellers and our citizens in the North-West. The nation recognises their efforts and sacrifice.”