Afenifere and Ilana Omo Oodua, IOO, a pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, yesterday slammed the Department of State Service, DSS, for bringing extradition charges against Yoruba Nation agitator Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, who is presently incarcerated in the Benin Republic.
The DSS has stated that the extradition of Igboho to Nigeria was still in progress.
The Federal Government’s increased effort to extradite Igboho from the Benin Republic, according to Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jare Ajayi, is a clear indication that the government is “not committed to genuinely tackle the challenges thrown up by those who are agitating for self-determination in the country.”
Afenifere said: “Were the Federal Government to be sincere with its recent declaration of wanting to settle the agitators’ issues politically, it would not be pursuing the path of extradition that it is bent on doing presently.
“Not only that, the government would obey the verdict given by a High Court in Ibadan on September 17, 2021, by paying the ₦20.5 billion as ordered rather than going on an appeal.
“If the Federal Government genuinely wanted to solve the problems thrown up by self-determination agitations, it should obey the judgments already given in favor of the agitators and convene meetings with leaders of the ethnic nationalities particularly those from the South-East and South-West where Kanu and Igboho came from.
“Solicitors for the agitators and interested stakeholders should also be present at the meetings. Such meetings should be convened without delay.”
Similarly, speaking to reporters during the inauguration of the Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide Elders Advisory Council, the group’s spokesman, Maxwell Adeleye, disputed that the DSS had filed extradition charges against Sunday Igboho.
“They (FG) don’t have the money to pay the fine, which is why they sought to annul the judgment,” Adeleye stated. In addition, the court has denied DSS’s request for a stay of execution.”
Prof. Banji Akintoye, the group’s head, stated during the ceremony that the Advisory Council has become vital in liaising with traditional rulers and other stakeholders to ensure that self-determination becomes a reality.
Akintoye said: “We are ready to fight for Yoruba nation and until we succeed, there are some things the elders can do that the youths cannot do. Of course, the youths are also key towards the realization of Yoruba nation through protests, rallies, social media, and others but they also need the elders to champion the course.”
Ada Peter
