Yoruba traditional rulers from Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Kwara and Kogi states, on Sunday, demanded the immediate release of 13 aides of the Yoruba freedom fighter, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, who were arrested by the Department of State Service, DSS, during a recent raid on his Ibadan residence.
The monarchs, under the banner of the Forum of Yoruba Obas, also demanded adequate compensation for the families of two aides who were shot dead by the DSS during the midnight invasion of Igboho’s house, located at Soka, Ibadan in Oyo.
In a statement titled: ‘The Position of The Yoruba Obas on the Invasion of Sunday Adeyemo’s House by the DSS and State of The Nation’, the monarchs described the invasion as illegal and a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of Igboho, his aides and the deceased.
The statement which was signed by its president Oba Samuel Adeoye, who is the Molokun of Atijere kingdom in Ondo State and secretary, Olukotun of Ikotun Ile, Oba Abdurasaq Abioye in Kwara reads: “We strongly condemn in its entirety the invasion and the gruesome murder of the people at Sunday Igboho’s house on the 1st July, 2021.
“As traditional rulers we cannot bury our heads in the sand like the ostrich on a very sensitive issue like this which if not well managed could further polarise the oneness and unity of Nigeria, considering the recent calls by prominent people in and outside the shores of Nigeria for the disintegration of Nigeria as one indissoluble and indivisible entity
“We believe that the killing by the officers of the DSS is unwarranted and unjustifiable, a violent breach of the fundamental right of those who were killed by the overzealous officers at Sunday Adeyemo’s house his residence.
“We, hereby, call for the immediate release of those arrested at his residence. We demand that there must be adequate compensation for the family of those people who were murdered during the operation. We equally in the same vein call on President Muhammadu Buhari to cause a discrete and holistic investigation on this volatile issue.
“While we as custodians of tradition and advocates of peace will not shield or encourage anyone to break the law of the land, we make bold to state that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is very clear and unambiguous that the governor of the state is the Chief Security Officer of the state and as such Governor Seyi Makinde ought to be apprised of any move to cause the arrest of anyone in Oyo State who has or is likely to cause serious security breach before such a person or group of persons can be arrested.”