Why Yoruba Group Won’t Beg Buhari To Release Sunday Igboho — Afenifere

Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-political organization, has stated that there is no foundation to petition President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to release Yoruba Nation agitator and activist Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho.

Afenifere also urged the Federal Government to follow the ruling of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, which awarded N20 billion to the Department of State Services for causing damage to Igboho’s home during a midnight raid on July 1, 2021.

It said this in response to a recent visit by certain Igbo leaders to the White House to beg the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

Under the auspices of the Highly Respected Igbo Greats, Igbo leaders had pleaded with President Buhari to free Kanu.

Former governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Bishop Sunday Onuoha of the Methodist Church, former president of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Aka Ikenga, Goddy Uwazurike, and Tagbo Amaechi were among the members of the delegation led by former Minister of Aviation, 93-year-old Mbazulike Amaechi.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari responded to the Igbo leaders, saying that the unconditional release of the IPOB leader, who is currently on trial, violates the doctrine of separation of powers between the executive and judiciary.

Igboho, who was detained by Republic of Benin police at the Cotonou Airport on July 19, 2021, has been held at the neighboring country’s detention facility.

Afenifere, on the other hand, said it had no reason to grovel to the president for Igboho’s release because the agitator ‘did not commit any offence whatsoever.’

“We do not have to beg the President to release Sunday Igboho. Sunday Igboho did not commit any offence whatsoever; that’s our position. Those who went to invade his house were terrorists in Nigerian security uniform and they have no right whatsoever and that has been tested in a court of competent jurisdiction. Igboho has been absolved and the government was visited with N20bn worth of damages,” the group said.

General-Secretary of Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni, said, “There is no basis for the Yoruba people to beg the Federal Government to release Sunday Igboho.

“In spite of the impunity of the Buhari government, we insist that Nigeria shall not be governed except by the rule of law.

“The deep night invasion of Sunday Igboho’s house with the aim of killing him which resulted in killing of two of his companions and wanton destruction of his property is already adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction as a most barbaric act of state terrorism with the sum of N20bn in damages.”

Afenifere also said there was no charge of criminal conduct against Igboho in any court.