Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has warned the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration against arresting or killing Chief Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
Recall that Igboho had issued a seven-day ultimatum to Fulani herders to leave Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The freedom fighter insisted that Fulani herders must fish out the killers of prominent Yoruba sons and daughters. He said that the reason for asking the herders to leave is because of unending killings and kidnapping.
But the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has ordered the arrest of Adeyemo over the quit order issued to herdsmen.
The senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu was quoted by BBC Hausa on Friday to have confirmed the arrest order.
The President’s spokesperson reportedly said the IGP instructed the new Police Commissioner in Oyo State, Ngozi Onadeko, to arrest Igboho and transfer him to Abuja.
Reacting in a post on his Twitter page on Saturday, Fani-Kayode warned that the activist has the full support of the Yoruba nation.
Fani-Kayode said, “It would be dangerous, reckless and counter-productive for Buhari to arrest or kill Sunday Igboho. When the Northern youths demanded that Igbos should leave the north, no-one was arrested. Why should Sunday be arrested or killed for asking killer Fulani herdsmen to leave South-West?
“I advise the FG to tread softly because Sunday has the full support of the Yoruba nation because he has spoken for the people. Kill him and you make him a martyr for Oduduwa, arrest him and you make him the greatest hero of the Yoruba since independence. Whichever way he wins.
“Sunday did not ask for all Fulanis to leave South-West. He asked for the killers, terrorists and kidnappers amongst them to leave Ibarapa and the Yoruba people love him for it. Is that a crime? As long as he maintains the peace and does not indulge in or encourage any violence, I do not see what he has done wrong?
“In 1999 when Gani Adams was rising up, I identified him as a young man to watch. I wrote an essay about him and I said his courage would take him far. I was proved right. Today I identify Sunday Igboho who has stood up against wickedness, injustice & apartheid in our land when other Yoruba leaders were too timid to stand. I commend his courage.”