Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the arrest of Sunday Adeyemo, youth leader better known as Sunday Igboho, over the quit notice he issued to herdsmen.
BBC Hausa quoted Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, as confirming the arrest order during its programme on Friday.
Shehu reportedly said the IGP informed him of his directive to Ngozi Onadeko, the Oyo commissioner of police, to arrest Igboho and transfer him to Abuja.
Frank Mba, police spokesman, did not immediately respond to TheCable’s inquiry on the order of the IGP.
Igboho had asked herdsmen in Igangan in Ibarapa north local government area of Oyo to leave within seven days following reports of the killing of some Oyo citizens.
He had blamed herders and Fulanis, including Saliu Kadri, the Sariki Fulani, of being behind the rising insecurity in the area.
The quit notice generated tension in parts of the state, prompting Seyi Makinde, the governor, to ask the IGP to arrest those fomenting trouble under the guise of protecting the interest of Yoruba people.
“For people stoking ethnic tension, they are criminals and once you get them, they should be arrested and treated like common criminals,” the governor had told the police commissioner.
The Presidency says the Inspector – General of Police , Mohammed Adamu , has ordered the arrest of Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho , for giving Fulani in Oyo State an ultimatum to exit the state.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu , was quoted as saying this during an interview with BBC Hausa news
According to the BBC report , Shehu said he had just got off the phone with the IGP who told him that an order had been given to the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Ngozi Onadeko, to arrest Igboho immediately and transfer him to Abuja .
Part of the report read , “ Garba said he just got off the telephone with the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police , who confirmed to him that he had ordered the arrest of Igboho , who is to be brought to Abuja .
Sunday Igboho at Igangan , Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday
“ Igboho is among topics that have generated public discuss on social media in Nigeria on Friday since he visited Igangan in Ibarapa Local Government (of Oyo State ) where he insisted that all Fulani residents in Oyo State, must leave as long as kidnapping continues.
“ Mallam Garba Shehu said government was having a hard time punishing (such ) offenders because of the activities of human rights organisations .
“ Garba Shehu said the order given by the Inspector General of Police , for now , is that Igboho should be arrested and brought to Abuja to be taken to court to face prosecution . ”
Igboho , who is the Akoni Oodua of Yoruba land and a grassroots politician, had asked herdsmen in Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State to leave within seven days , blaming the leadership of the Fulani of being behind the rising insecurity in the state.
The PUNCH had reported that
violence erupted in Igangan in the Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday when Sunday Igboho and his supporters reportedly stormed the Fulani settlement in the town to eject the Sariki Fulani , Salihu Abdukadir , and some other herdsmen accused of fuelling security problems in the area .
Unconfirmed reports claimed that some persons were killed while properties worth several millions of naira were set ablaze during the clash which occurred in the evening .
Although Igboho could not be reached as calls to his telephone line indicated that he was out of reach , residents of Igangan however said that at least one youth from Igboora was killed by Fulani fighters while two others sustained injuries from gunshots
The Sariki also told our correspondent that one Fulani woman was killed . He said he had fled the town before Igboho returned on Friday.
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