Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-cultural group, has on Thursday, reacting to the attack on the residence of a Yoruba Activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, said that the attack is a “sad reminder of what Nigerians went through under the inglorious regime of late General Sani Abacha”,
The Acting Leader of the group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said this in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi.
He noted that “the attack is a sad indicator that we are fast returning to the era of late Sani Abacha, when anyone who expressed opinions contrary to government’s position, would be fatally attacked”, adding that, the manner of the attack indicated culpability on the part of the President Muhammadu Buhari Federal Government.
His words: “We are forced into this deduction for a number of reasons. Firstly, eyewitness accounts indicated that the vehicles and uniforms of the attackers were that of the Security Agencies.
“Secondly, the failure of Security Agencies to confront the attackers, further implicated the government. It was reported that the attack lasted for more than three hours. Igboho’s residence is in a highly-populated area within minutes’ reach to surrounding police stations. That no rescue team came from any of the Police Units, including the DSS office in Ibadan, for the several hours that the attack lasted, makes it difficult not to believe that the government is complicit in the attack.
“We recalled how patriots like General Alani Akinrinade, Pa Abraham Adesanya, Pa Alfred Rewane, etc, were attacked, resulting in the untimely and gruesome murder of Pa Rewane.
“What is wrong in canvassing for self-determination so long as such agitation is devoid of violence? The Constitution the country is running guarantees the right of every Nigerian to express an opinion, and even carry out rallies as long as such is done without violence.
“To the best of our knowledge, none of the rallies that Sunday Igboho has led in his campaign for the Yoruba nation could be said to be violent nor was he implicated in illegal activities. Why then should he be subjected to the kind of treatment his household received on Thursday morning?”
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