Yoruba Group Faults Terrorism Charge Against Igboho; Calls It Childish

By Ayodele Oni

Yoruba self determination Group, Ilana Omo Oodua, (IOO) has faulted the claim by the Federal Government  that detained Yoruba Activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemi, aka Igboho was funding terrorism.

The Group led by Prof Banji Akintoye, in a statement, signed by its spokesman, Maxwell Adeleye, declared that “To us in IOO, the accusations against Ighoho are ridiculous, cruel, petty, irresponsible and childish.

“The Nigerian Government is now frustrated having lost the battle against the agitations for Self-Determination, both in the Courts of law and public opinion, hence, resorted to blackmail and media bully.

“We have read the statement credited to Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, on behalf of the Nigerian Government. Our preliminary position is that having been defeated legally and morally, the Fulani-Controlled Government of Nigeria is now chasing shadows, bullying the truth, and making an inconsistent attempt to tarnish a noble struggle of the Yoruba people.

“There was nowhere in the statement where Ighoho was directly or indirectly linked to Terrorism. We only read that Ighoho transfered the sum of twelve million, seven hundred and fifty thousand Naira only to one Abdullahi Usman who is a friend of someone who is now an Indicted promoter of Terrorism.

“We are surprised how that has now become a crime? Was there any linkage between Ighoho and the original indicted promoter of Terrorism? What was the money Ighoho paid into Abdullahi Usman meant for?

“Is Ighoho now the one funding Terrorism in the North? Even if there was an association between the real indicted promoter of Terrorism and Ighoho which the Malami statement did not say, was it legitimate or was it on Terrorism?

“FG also accused an Invincible Lawmaker of sponsoring Ighoho and the struggle for Self-Determination in Yoruba Land. The transactions between Ighoho and the  Federal Lawmaker was dated back to 2013. That was hilarious and absolutely inconsistent. Was there a struggle for Self-Determination In 2013?

“For instance, we started the struggle for Self-Determination in 2019, but the Nigerian Government is labelling the transactions between Ighoho, a Political Figure and Freedom Fighter and an unknown Political Figure dated back to 2013 as funds for promotion of Yoruba Nation Struggle for Self-Determination. Igboho is a renowned Automobile Dealer. So, anyone could buy Cars from him.

“We are, however, glad that the Nigerian Government is now displaying heavy shallowness and emptiness before the world while attempting to bully and tarnish a just and constitutional agenda that has been declared noble and legal by a Court of Competent Jurisdgiction which the Government has not appealed against.

“The most outrageous part of the accusations against Ighoho was stating that Ighoho is sponsoring Terrorism because he transferred the sum of 12 million Naira to a friend of an indicted promoter of terrorism.”

Malami had, at a Press Conference in Abuja on Friday, accused Igboho of sponsoring terrorism in Nigeria.