Sunday Igboho, the Yoruba rights activist, better known as Sunday Igboho has said the recent attempt to arrest him by the operatives of the Department of State Services, was an attempt to murder him.
The activist also said he pulled off his shirt because one of the DSS operatives rough-handled him and violently held onto his shirt around his neck area.
Igboho stated this on Saturday while featuring on a radio programme, ‘City Talks with Reuben Abati’.
Recall that, it was earlier reported that pandemonium broke out on Friday along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway when Igboho and his supporters were on their way to meet with 93-year-old Afenifere chieftain, Ayo Adebanjo.
In a viral video, a shirtless Igboho was seen with his men daring the security operatives and throwing expletives. Many have since wondered why the activist believed to have metaphysical powers and known to wear traditional bulletproof was topless during the face-off.
But speaking during the radio programme, Igboho said, “Why I pulled off my cloth was that one of the DSS operatives held onto my shirt violently. So, I decided to put off the cloth and give it to him and we dragged the matter.
“They started shooting when we began to drag the matter. The whole episode was an embarrassment for me. I am a responsible man, I am a Yoruba citizen, I am fighting for the rights of the Yoruba people. They don’t have to embarrass me”.
Continuing, the rights activist said, “I’m a businessman. I pay my tax to the Federal Government every month and I have evidence of tax payment. Should I be going on the road and some people attempt to kill me? For what? Why do they want to kill me because their plan on Friday was to assassinate me. Why?
“There is insecurity in the country. Fulani people are raping our people and killing our people in the forests but the security operatives are not going there to confront them. Instead, they are offered ransom. It is just sad that the government are threatening the common man living peacefully in the country. It should not be so”.
Igboho said a joint team of DSS operatives, soldiers, and civil defence were on the Friday mission to arrest him, noting that there was no policeman on the team.
Though the DSS denied the attempted arrest but Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), amongst others have since condemned the DSS attempt.
