Category: Politics

Following the declaration of Self-styled activist, Chief Sunday Igboho wanted and the detaining of eleven members arrested during the invasion of Igboho’s house last week by men of the Department of State Security DSS, the Yoruba Nation Agitators have resolved to stage a protest today in Ibadan in solidarity with Sunday Igboho and other detainees.

The report to embark on the said protest was made known to ODUDUWA NEWS by Sunday Igboho’s Spokesman, Olayomi Koiki via a telephone conversation.

Details later.

The Minority Leader of the Osun House Assembly, Hon. Kofoworola Adewumi, has been advised to leave the State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola out of their parliamentary politics.

The lawmaker has also been advised to stop fishing for trouble where none exists.

Reacting to the statement credited to Adewumi, in which he accused the governor of being hostile to the opposition lawmakers, Ismail Omipidan, who is the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, described the lawmaker’s position as not only misleading, but also lacking in logic and concrete facts.

Omipidan further noted that for the House Minority Leader to issue a statement on a matter he had unsuccessfully tried to get the presiding officer’s buy-in on the floor of the House shows he either lacks parliamentary acumen or does not understand his role as a parliament.

“I am not a lawmaker, but as an experienced parliamentary reporter, I understand perfectly how things work in the parliament. We have a 26-member House, and the opposition has three of the total.

“Lobbying is a potent instrument deployed by effective lawmakers to get things done for their constituents. If as a Minority Leader, you want favour from Mr. Governor, you lobby him to achieve your end. But, in this instance, you never made any request from the governor to the best of my knowledge Yet , you are accusing him of being hostile to the opposition lawmakers.

“Have you made any request of him either for your personal benefit or that of your constituents, which he turned down? To demonstrate our commitment to good governance devoid of partisan politics, as a government, we began our infrastructure development from Ede, the home town of our main challenger in the 2018 governorship election. The area is also being represented in the House by an opposition lawmaker.

“If for whatever reason the Minority Leader could not attend a meeting between the House and Mr. Governor last weekend, how has that become the fault of Mr. Governor? And how does that amount to hostility?

“When I first saw the misleading statement, I was waiting to read in concrete terms what constitutes the alleged hostility from my Principal. I was disappointed to observe that he was trying to drag Mr. Governor into what was purely parliamentary politics.

“I appeal to the Minority Leader of the Osun House Assembly, Hon. Kofoworola Adewumi, to apply parliamentary norms to parliamentary issues, including lobbying, leave the governor out of parliamentary politics and stop fishing for trouble where none exists,” Omipidan declared.

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, at the weekend, called on National and State Assembly members to join the call for state police irrespective of their party affiliations.
He said that the introduction of state police will help in tackling the menace of insecurity in the states and across the nation.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted Makinde as saying that concerted efforts are needed to tackle the challenges of insecurity bedevelling the country.

Governor Makinde stated these while speaking at the 30th Anniversary of Ibadan Golf Club, held at the World Lilies Event Centre, Queens School Road, Apata, Ibadan, on Saturday.
The governor called on those politicising insecurity to have a rethink, saying insecurity does not know political parties or religions.
He said: “I don’t want to politicise insecurity because when things happen, hardly will they ask whether you are PDP or APC or whether you are a Christian or a Muslim.”

He added that the solution to the insecurity in the states is state police, enjoining the legislative arm of government both at the federal and state levels to push for it in their chambers.

“Players will come and go. Governors will come and go. We are pushing for state police because we believe it is going to be a game-changer for the people.
“Call your Senators, members of the House of Representatives and State Assemblies, irrespective of their party affiliation, ask them to do something.

“Call them to support this, and when it comes to Oyo State, I can give you the assurance that the State Assembly will pass it,” the governor said.
The governor further said: “Personally, I have gone around to take responsibility for some of the issues we are faced with, security-wise. But I want to beg of you, on security, we have to take a collective responsibility. The government alone cannot do it, as all of us must come together and play our own parts.

“In your neighbourhood, if you see something, say something and the government will do something.”

Governor Makinde, who congratulated members of the Ibadan Golf Club on its 30th Anniversary, pledged that he will continue to support the club and also do more in terms of giving necessary support for sports development in Oyo State.

He said that the remodelled and reconstructed Lekan Salami Sport Complex will be opened with the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) playing a European Team from Slovakia.
He added that the match will kick off at about 8 p.m., under floodlights.

“For the first time in the history of Lekan Salami Stadium, Shooting Stars will be playing a team from Slovakia and we will be kicking off at about 8 p.m. So, we will play the game under floodlight.

“We will be watching subsequent games of the Shootings Starts under floodlights. When we are done from work, we will go home and relax and watch our darling team,” he added.

ODUDUWA NEWS has gathered that a sum of N500 Million has been demanded from Federal Government as a compensation to the damages done to Self-Styled Activist, Chief Sunday Igboho.

This was contained in a letter written by his lawyer, Yomi Aliyu SAN where he demanded that the sum of N500m be paid by the Federal Government as reparation for the destruction of cars and the home of the activist.

The lawyer, Chief Yomi Aliyu SAN, in a release made available to newsmen on Saturday, also asked for public apology from the State Security Service for the unconstitutional invasion of Igboho’s residence.

This statement is coming at the eve of the information flying around that the Department of State Security Service DSS has begun manhaunt on Sunday Igboho and that the call logs of his aide are currently being tracked to probe his financiers.

The release is reproduced below in full: We are Counsel to Chief Sunday Adeyemo otherwise known as Sunday Igboho Oosa and we have his standing instructions to defend and act as Counsel in all situations we deem appropriate especially where his fundamental rights as a Citizen of Nigeria is violated or threatened as done on Thursday 1st July, 2021.

Every Nigerian, albeit the whole world, is aware that in his open crusade for the establishment of Oodua Republic our client has always preached peace and warned his followers never to have recourse to violence saying that “it is God and alale” that will fight for Yoruba Nation. We can boldly say that as people who followed his campaign, but not necessarily supporting dismemberment of Nigeria, that no casualty has ever occurred wherever such rallies were carried out. This must have been done in more than 20 Yoruba towns and cities as at date. To now invade the residence of such a peace loving crusader is tantamount to calling a dog a bad name to hang it. It must be reiterated, and with emphasis, that it is the right of a group of homogeneous and/or indigenous people in a Federation to ask for self determination in accordance with the rules of international law and UNO Charter.

Our constitution also permits freedom of association and, by necessary implications, freedom to dissociate. We were reliably informed that DSS and other security forces invaded the residence of our client in wee hours of the day (between 1.00hr and 4.30hrs).

There is nowhere in civilised world that a citizen who had no prior invitation by security agent or resisting arrest will be so invaded with his rights to dignity of human persons, ownership of property and sanctity of life trampled upon during the invasion. S. 12 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act enjoins the police and/or any security operatives to first make a demand to enter a place where a suspect is and if their demand was not granted to break open the “outer or inner door of any house or place.”

No demand to enter was made but rather they shot their way into the house allegedly killing seven (7) people though DSS spokesman admitted killing two people which involved an old imam that used to lead Muslim occupants in prayers and observing TAHJUD at the time of the barbaric raid. A lady among the invaders was allegedly shouting, “If you get him, gun him down.” There and then our client knew that the mission was to get rid of him and NOT to arrest him. This belief becomes more realistic in view of the fact that the CCTV recorder was taken off and taken away so that the carnage will not be shown to members of the public. Our client then knew that he was to be taking dead or alive as allegedly stated by the lady among the raiders. It should be stated that without any resistance or shooting at the security operatives they started shooting from the gate and ensuring that the building was totally made uninhabitable.

Also, all the expensive vehicles in our client’s house were shot at and destroyed. The rampaging operatives were disappointed that they could allegedly not find a single gun or ammunition in our client’s house hence their arresting two (2) police escorts of Mr Sunday Igboho’s guests and added their guns to those harvested from their armoury with a view to making members of the public to believe that our client keeps militia or as stated by them, he is about waging war on Nigeria.

Will this be with his mere amulets? People who know our client of over 20 years will testify that Igboho Oosa does not carry gun on his person! It is elementary law that whenever a search warrant is executed on a house, the house owner must first search the persons sent to execute same and also sign the inventory of what were recovered in executing the warrant! This explains why the DSS invaded the house in the night shooting everything at sight, killing and maiming the occupants to plant their illegal guns on our client. We have also been reliably informed that those arrested were being tortured to incriminate our client that guns and ammunitions were recovered from his house.

Sunday Igboho knew that he would be arrested one day hence retaining our services. He could not be that daft to keep incriminating articles in his house! Our client’s house is a 5-bedroom duplex with 5 chalets of 2 and 3 bedrooms. These were totally damaged with operatives allegedly arguing on whether to burn down the edifice as done to his former palatial house. The lady officer allegedly put her foot down against arson.

One thousand euro, two million naira, expensive jewelry worth millions, travel documents, amulets, iPhone 12 belonging to him, phones of about 15 others living in the house, including those killed by the raiders and other belongings yet to be identified belonging to his wives were carted away. The only guns were those of the police escorts of his guests! More importantly, the DSS and other operatives that raided the house said they came to arrest Sunday Igboho but ended up arresting innocent people in lieu of him. Apart from being a serious violation of these peoples’ constitutional rights, it is an assault on S. 7 of ACJA and decisions of our courts in that regard.

We hereby demand that the Federal Government orders an investigation into the actions of the various security operatives led by DSS that raided Chief Sunday Adeyemo’s house with a view to sanctioning them and release all the innocent people arrested and compensate the families of those murdered.

Our client should also be paid N500million as reparation for damage to his exotic cars that include Mercedes Benz G-Class and 2019 Lexus Car. We also demand a public apology. Most importantly, trampling of our client’s fundamental rights, including tagging him as criminal by exhibiting DSS guns as his should stop forthwith. In any case, as admirers of this government and one Nigeria we personally implore all the governors of South-West States that know the yearnings of their people and Igboho’s large followership to wade in before it becomes hydra-headed security problems in all their domains.

The leadership and members of Hunters Group of Nigeria on Wednesday declared their unalloyed support for the Administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in the State of Osun.

The enthusiastic hunters also endorsed the Governor for second term, saying they were ready to do everything possible to ensure his re-election in the forthcoming governorship election.

This is even as the Governor inaugurated the State Chapter of Hunters Group of Nigeria (HGN) and charged them on patriotism, integrity, diligence, loyalty and honesty in the discharge of their duties.

The governor said the new layer of the security outfit was put in place to further harness the diverse security apparatuses by getting the locals who understand the terrain involved in securing and guaranteeing the security of lives and property of the citizens.

He also said the gesture is aimed at further helping to complement the efforts of the conventional security agencies as the newly-inaugurated hunters are expected to protect the State and provide useful information and intelligence to ensure a safe and secure atmosphere in the State.

Inaugurating the Group at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, Oyetola emphasised that the newly-inaugurated hunters would work in the steps of the extant security outfits to complement the efforts of other security agencies in a bid to deliver security in every nook and cranny of the State.

Oyetola who described security and welfare as the primary purpose of government said the Administration would leave no stone unturned in achieving the all-important duty.

He charged the newly inaugurated hunters on diligence, loyalty, honestly and integrity, asking them to discharge their duties with topmost sincerity as they are expected to effectively organise, coordinate, supervise and complement the activities of conventional security agencies.

“Today, we are inaugurating your group to further strengthen and widen our security architecture and management.

“We have put these layers of security in place in our firm belief that we are better secured when we harness our diverse security apparatuses and involve our people who know our terrain and who can effectively organise, coordinate and supervise them to complement the activities of conventional police.

“Consequently, we expect the various security outfits to work hand in hand with the police by guarding our communities and forests with integrity and diligence, providing intelligence, arresting suspects and handing them over to the Police for investigation and prosecution.

“I urge the members of the Osun Hunters Group of Nigeria that we are inaugurating today to follow in the steps of the extant security outfits to deliver security with integrity and complement the activities of other security agencies.

“All our security agencies must know that there is only one duty and that is to keep the State and People of Osun safe. This duty should unite all security outfits. Your loyalty should be to the people. Doing otherwise is against the code of your operation, the interest of the State and the nation.

“I urge you all to avoid harassing defenceless and harmless citizens. You must deliver this duty with all sense of responsibility, integrity, honesty and patriotism.

“The members of Osun Hunters Group must justify the rigorous selection that qualifies them as Members of this Association and you must carry with you the Omoluabi ethos as you discharge your responsibilities.

“The people of Osun have implicit confidence in you and they believe that they are safe in the hands of their compatriots. Do all within your powers to justify this confidence.”

Oyetola noted that security was critical to the Development Agenda of his Administration as it holds the Master Key to the delivery of adequate, equitable, and qualitative service in all sectors.

According to him, the sustainable economic transformation, investment revolution and infrastructure development can only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace.

He added: “This is the reason we are doing everything in our power to guard the master key of peace jealously by working hard to sustain the ranking of our State as the most peaceful State in Nigeria. We shall not rest until we make security a way of life in Osun.”

Speaking on behalf of their members in the State, the Commander General, Hunters Group, Joshua Osatimehin, and the State Commandant, Chief Nureni Hammed openly declared their readiness to work with and support the Governor in his bid for second term.

They attributed their solidarity and endorsement to the good works and laudable achievements the Administration had recorded in the last two and half years.

In his words, the HGN Commander General, Osatimehin said the decision to support the governor was informed by his Administration’s commitment to security and safety of the State.

Osatimehin who applauded the Governor’s approach to security noted that it was heartening to know that Osun had proved itself as a pacesetter in the provision of security apparatuses and management.

He also lauded the prompt and timely security intervention and approach of the Administration which he said had culminated in the sustained status of Osun as the most peaceful State in the country.

Osatimehin disclosed that over 42,000 hunters have been registered in Osun under the umbrella of the Group to complement the efforts of other security agencies in the State.

Corroborating the position of the HGN to support the Governor for second term, the State Commander, Hunters Group of Nigeria, Chief Balogun Nureni Hammed, reaffirmed the commitment of his members to collaborating with other security agencies to protect the lives and property of the citizens.

He commended the State Government for being supportive to the Group as part of efforts to provide an enabling environment and peaceful atmosphere in every nook and cranny of the State.

Hammed attributed the good works of Oyetola’s Administration as an encouragement to support him for second term.

“We are satisfied with your good works and we want you to continue. Four plus four! We will support you to return for a second term by next year,” Hammed said.

Earlier in their separate remarks, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, urged members of the HGN to champion loyalty, diligence and sincerity in discharge of their responsibilities as local security agents.

They advised them to remain honest and sincere while carrying out their daily activities to stem the tide of insecurity and ensure peace across the nooks and crannies of the State.

Those in attendance included the representatives of the security agencies, traditional rulers and government officials.

There was a mild rumour going viral in the social media in the late hours yesterday that Chief Sunday Igboho has been arrested by men of the Department of State Security Services DSS at Guru Mahraji Temple.

Meanwhile, Sunday Igboho has denounced the rumour flying around. He spoke today through an audio clip made available to ODUDUWA NEWS by his Spokesman, Olayomi Koiki where he claimed that he is hale and hearty and that nobody has arrested him.

Details later.

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have opted for a consensus method of choosing officials of the party at the July 24 ward congress.

The leaders said the method will further cement the unity in the party and make it more formidable than ever before.

The State Governor and leader of the party in the state, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, who spoke during a Stakeholder’s Meeting on Friday, said a significant percentage of youths and women must be considered in the distribution of party positions.

Party leaders who attended the meeting included Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Tayo Alasoadura; members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Timehin Adelegbe and Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye; and speaker of the State House of Assembly who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Samuel Aderoboye.

Others were Former Deputy Governor, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo; Ambassador Sola Iji, Chief Olusola Oke, Isaac Kekemeke, Prince Olu Adegboro, Dr. Paul Akintelure, Chief Bode Sunmonu, Rear Admiral Samuel Ilesanmi Alade (Rtd ), Mrs Tanimola among several other leaders.

The acting chairman of the party, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, informed the meeting that Senator Ajayi Borrofice, Chief Pius Akinyelure, Jimi Odimayo and other leaders of the party who could not attend the meeting sent their apologies.

Kekemeke, Oke, Tanimola and other leaders, who spoke one after the other, canvassed the need to have a fair consensus across the local government areas of the state.

Engr. Adetimehin said the party under the leadership of Governor Akeredolu has recorded great feats, adding that the party was the first to score higher than 50 percent in any governorship election in the state.

He charged leaders and members of the party to mobilize their people for the ongoing continuous voters registration exercise.

Governor Akeredolu in his remark noted that the party must remain united and formidable, saying members and leaders must work together and avoid polarization.

“There is need for us to build a United political party. A political party should be United in everything. When the dust of an election settles, a political party becomes one, because we are all one.

“The party must be united. Let’s come together and work together for the state. Let us work together as a party. What is important to me is that when I finish my tenure, I will wish and pray that I build a formidable, united and strong APC. There is need for us to be united so we can have a very strong vehicle,” the Governor said.

Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams has condemned in strong terms the attack on chief Sunday Adeyemo, Igboho’s house at the early hours of today, saying the attack was a ploy to silent him from expressing his views on the state of the nation.

Aare Adams, however, charged the Federal Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ugly incident and also bring the perpetrators to book.

Adams, in a statement on Thursday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, described the attack leading to the death of eight persons, with wantom destruction of his property as very unfortunate.

The Yoruba generalissimo said the attack has really exposed the Federal Government,especially, on the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, insisting that the incident was a predetermined ploy to silent Igboho from the struggle for the Yoruba nation, which, according to him, is what many Yorubas both home and abroad want at the moment.

“The attack on Sunday Igboho’s house is most unfortunate. It is a reflection of the fact that our lives as Nigerians are of no value to the government.And the truth is that nobody is safe in this country,

“The recent attack was the second in six months.The first was in January when his Soka resident was razed by unknown arsonists. And up till date,nobody had been apprehended in respect of the ugly incident,

“Those agitating for Yoruba nation have been the targets of this administration and the two attempts at Igboho’s houses within six months cannot be said to be ordinary.They were ploys to cow him and frustrate him,

” We cannot continue to live in fear and trepidations.We cannot continue to live in perpetual crisis where our lives and properties are not secured.

“Igboho is being hunted because of his beliefs in the struggle for the liberation of Yoruba race and those behind these two attacks should be warned that any attack on Igboho is an attack on all of us that are in the struggle for the liberation of Yoruba race. It is sad that this government is intolerant of other people’s views,

“Let me say this for emphasis that it is in the interest of the Federal Government to learn how to manage those agitating.Yoruba are seeking self-determination or devolution of power. These are the two key things we are asking from the Federal Government. So, of the two requests, the FG should be ready to negotiate for one, rather than using force to subdue agitators,

“For instance, the British government, didn’t at any time, subdue the agitations of Scotland or Ireland. Even in Canada, Quebec settled for a region after seeking self-determination from Canada. It is their legitimate right and such must be protected under the ambit of law,

“As a government, it is your duty and responsibility to change people’s views through better policy implementation and programmes that are in the interest of the mass of the people. Not the other way round,

” The video clip of the attack on Sunday Igboho’s house was a show of death and destruction. About eight people were allegedly killed in the attack, with wantom destruction to his property. The information at my disposal also indicates that the attack was allegedly done by the Nigerian Army in collaboration with foreign terrorists. Imagine Igboho was killed in the attack,it might lead to a raging war.Remember the case of Boko Haram leader, Muhammed Yusuff, that was killed in 2009.The death of Yusuff became Nigeria’s nemesis and Boko Haram has created the most challenging problem in Nigeria till today,

“As far as I am concerned, I don’t support anything that negates the law or anybody that disobeys the law, however, the Federal Government should be able to tolerate other people’s view, by taking into consideration, the rights of every citizen as it is in the constitution. This is what makes democracy thrives,”Aare Gani Adams said.

Chief Sunday Igboho has reacted to recent invasion of his house by men of Department of State Security Service DSS. This was contained in a statement released today through his Spokesman, Olayomi Koiki and sent to ODUDUWA NEWS as read in part:

“The invasion of my home by Nigerian security operatives and the Department of State Security’s (DSS) announcement that am wanted has made it essential for me to set the records straight for Nigerians and the international community.

“Nigerian security operatives invaded my residence in the early hours of Wednesday, 1 July, 2021. The invasion was done without a search warrant. I was not invited for questioning/investigation at any government facility before the invasion. The operatives that stormed my residence destroyed my properties, killed persons and stole valuables and money. Pictures and videos of their atrocities have been widely reported in the media.

“Nigerians and the world at large are aware of my resistance to the incessant killings, raping and kidnapping of my people in Southwest Nigeria by armed Fulani herdsmen. The failure of President Muhammadu Buhari and his government to curb the criminal activities of the murderous herdsmen necessitated my intervention. I ordinarily would not have intervened if government had lived up to its responsibility of securing the Southwest and Nigeria at large from the criminal activities of the President’s ethnic men.

“Of public knowledge, my intervention has not let to any loss of live or bloodshed. My means of curbing criminality is to the chase the criminal Fulani herdsmen out of their hideouts in company of the people of the affected communities. It is because of the foreseen government persecution that videos of such interventions were transmitted live on social media. Nigerians, the security operatives, and the presidency are aware that I have never moved against the peaceful Fulani’s and other tribes living peacefully in the Southwest. My unjust persecution — for defending my people and community — is therefore surprising and unwarranted.

“After several unsuccessful attempts to link me to any crime, the Buhari regime desperately opt to forcefully silence me, so that the criminal herdsmen, who enjoys government’s sympathy, protection and immunity, can easily outrun the Southwest. The presidency’s serial antics and desperation to acquire people’s ancestral lands across Nigeria for foreign Fulani herdsmen because they share ethnicity and occupation with the President is well known to Nigerians and the international community. I am being seen as a threat to the Fulanization agenda in the Southwest, hence the desperation to soil my name.

“Nigerians and the international community should please be aware that the security operatives that invaded my home either planted the ammunitions being paraded in the media in my home or harvest them from their armoury to frame me. The arms paraded are not mine, they are government magic. I protect myself with traditional powers, not with guns.

“Federal government framed me up and the sequence of events brings the truth bare. Why would the security agents invade my home at night and destroy my surveillance cameras before carrying out their operation if not that they had an ulterior motive? In this modern age of technological advancement, why did the security operatives not put on body cameras to record their activities from the point of entry to their time of exit? Their action is a testament that the Buhari regime is incurable of using desperate approach to silence peaceful social interventions.

“The unwarranted military invasion of Lekki, gruesome killing of peaceful EndSARS protesters, and evacuation of their bodies on 20 October 2020 is still fresh in the mind of Nigerians. A similar approach was adopted during the invasion of my home. The security operatives killed scores and took away their bodies. Buhari’s regime would have declared that ‘unknown gunmen’ invaded my home if they had succeeded in killing me. Nigerians and the international community should beware that desperate efforts are being made to force those arrested to make implicating confession statement. I advise the DSS to desist from their unprofessional acts and devote such energy to eradicating insecurity.

“Nigerians and the international community should please note that I am a law-abiding citizen without blemish. I advise President Buhari to, in the interest of Nigerians that voted him to power, order his henchmen to desist from using falsehood and unholy tactics to soil my name. Such energy should be devoted to taming the herdsmen and bandits freely committing heinous crimes across Nigeria with impunity because their kinsman is in power.

“Yoruba people would not be demanding for a nation if government had lived up to its responsibilities. Self-determination is not a crime and all effort to silence us and acquire our ancestral land for local and foreign criminal herdsmen will fail. Many Ken Saro-Wiwa arose after Nigerian government unjustly executed the non-violent activist. Those that emerged after him confronted government and almost brought Nigeria to its knees. I am another Saro-Wiwa. Therefore, I advise President Buhari to learn from the mistake of past governments. I am not Nigeria’s problem and should not be framed up or intimidated for contributing my quota to ensure peace reigns in my region and country”.