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Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, has said the recent assault on his person by operatives of the Department of State Services was an attempt to murder him.
Igboho stated this on Saturday while featuring on a radio programme, ‘City Talks with Reuben Abati.’
The activist also said he pulled off his shirt because one of the DSS operatives rough handled him and violently held onto his shirt around the neck.
Recall that pandemonium broke out on Friday along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway when Igboho and his supporters were on their way to meet with Afenifere leader, Ayo Adebanjo.
In a video that went viral, a shirtless Igboho was seen with his men daring the security operatives and exchanging words.
But speaking during the radio programme, Igboho said: “Why I pulled off my cloth was because one of the DSS operatives violently held onto my shirt. So, I decided to pull off the cloth and give it to him for us to drag the matter.
“They started shooting when we began to drag the matter. The whole episode was an embarrassment for me. I am a responsible man, I am a Yoruba citizen, I am fighting for the rights of Yoruba people. They don’t have to embarrass me.”
He added:“I’m a businessman. I pay my tax to the Federal Government every month and I have evidence of tax payment. Should I be going on the road and some people will attempt to kill me? For what? Why do they want to kill me because their plan on Friday was to assassinate me. Why?
“There is insecurity in the country. Fulani people are raping our people and killing our people in the forests but the security operatives are not going there to confront them. Instead, they are offered ransom. It is just sad that the government is threatening the common man living peacefully in the country. It should not be so.”
Igboho also said a team of DSS, soldiers, and civil defence were those that attempted to arrest him, noting that there was no policeman on the team.
Though the DSS denied the attempted arrest but Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) among others have since condemned DSS over the attempt to arrest Igboho.
(The Punch)