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No Going Back On Yoruba Nation- Sunday Igboho Tells Oluwo
The camp of Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo alias Igboho, on Saturday denied that he was about to soft pedal or dialogue with the federal authorities.
Reacting last night to Friday’s offer by the Oluwo of Iwo, Osun State, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, to intervene in the face-off between government and Igboho, the spokesman of the activist, Olayomi Koiki, said there had been no contact between the monarch and the agitator lately.
Koiki also denied that Igboho was about to drop the agitation for a Yoruba nation.
But the Oluwo said only Igboho “can speak for himself” on whether he is ready for talks of not.
“Nobody can speak for him,” he told The Nation on the phone last night.
The Presidency itself appeared to play down the matter when contacted on Saturday.
A source said only the Director of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, could determine Igboho’s fate.
It was the DSS that coordinated the raid in the activist’s Ibadan residence penultimate Thursday, arrested some of his aides and declared him wanted.
Igboho has since gone underground.
Koiki, his spokesman, told The Nation yesterday that he was not aware of any contact lately between Oba Akanbi and Igboho.
“Not at any time, not even a single call,” he said.
But he admitted that Igboho visited the oba way back in 2018 to reciprocate a similar one by the traditional ruler to the activist.
He said it was on that occasion at the Oluwo’s palace that the photograph of Igboho prostrating for the oba, now trending on social media, was taken.
“The news that Chief Sunday Adeyemo visited the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi is not true,” he said.
“The 2018 picture was taken during a return visit after he (Oluwo) came to chief’s house.”
He insisted that Igboho has also not dropped his agitation for a Yoruba nation.
He said any claim to the contrary is a lie.
He promised to give a comprehensive response soon by way of an audio message.
Contacted last night on the reaction from Igboho’s camp, Oba Akanbi said: “It is only Igboho that can speak for himself now. Nobody can speak for him.
“If he wants to continue fighting the way he has been fighting, let him go ahead.
“If he wants his normal life back, let him go for peace. It is either he goes for peace or continues with ‘catch me if you can,’ with the DSS.
“The option is there for Igboho, but I won’t advise him to talk or say a word until peace is made.
“To return his life back to normal is my desire.
“Anybody that wants to lead the agitation can go ahead. It is Igboho that has something to protect. He has a life.
“He is our son, we won’t allow something bad to happen to him. He has a name.
“Sunday Igboho does not deal with some of those people who say they are speaking for him.
“Why didn’t you ask them when they spoke with Igboho?
“It is unfortunate that the majority of them are pushing him. They will just continue to push him until they kill him.
“To the extent that the DSS could claim responsibility that they attacked his house. They (DSS), said: ‘We went to Igboho’s house and we killed two people.’
“I think they just want to push him into trouble. Even before the current agitations, he was not poor. He was only misinformed and he has realised this.
“Did you hear anything from his mouth? Did you hear his voice disputing what I said?
“Government is beyond what they are seeing, what they are saying. Let them come out with where Igboho said this or that. Let them produce Igboho’s recording.
“I would advise Igboho not to say anything against the government. He should have his life to protect. He should keep quiet till we solve the present problem.
“Those people pushing him cannot do anything for him, rather when he gets into trouble, they will all run away and leave him to solve his problems.
“They have pushed him into trouble. He has a house, and he can’t go there.
“His wife is in trouble. His people are in a problem. His family members are in trouble.
“He is now running like a fugitive. He has been declared wanted. His passport has been seized.
“Those people pushing him, why can’t they come to the street and continue from where he stopped?
“Those who are speaking for him right now are not his closest aides.
“Some of them speaking for him are using him to make money.
“I told him that some of the people making noise were just pushing him. He did certain things that were beyond him, especially the idea of going to open the border. No government would allow that.
“Some of them are trying to justify their action by comparing Igboho with the bandits in the North. Do the bandits have a house? Do they have a name?
“Igboho has a house; he has exotic cars in his compound. He had been made a long time ago. Some of these people pushing him just want to make money.
“We will speak to the government to forgive him. This same government honoured MKO Abiola. Those who did bad things to Abiola did not honour him.
“Abiola was not on good terms with Buhari, yet it was the same Buhari that honoured him.
“The Igbo elders may not speak about Nnamdi Kanu and plead on his behalf and assure the government that they would tell him to stop some of the things he is doing.
“But we as Yoruba elders would not allow things to get worse. What we are doing right now is to find a way of getting him out of the trouble.
“He has a house, he can’t live in it. He has a car, he can’t ride it. His German passport has been seized.
“If the Igbo do not talk about the activities of Kanu, we would talk about our own before they start killing people in Yorubaland.
“Would you say how unknown gunmen have been killing people in the South East is good? Is that what we want in Yorubaland?
“We will draw his attention to it that ‘young man, where he is going is not good.
“I think the media hype entered Igboho’s head and those who are making money from the Diaspora are not telling him the truth.”
A Presidency source said only the Director of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) could determine Igboho’s fate.
“The Oluwo is one of those who are supporting the government and offering advice from time to time. We have read what he wrote,” the source said.
“But only the DSS, the police and the AGF can determine how Igboho’s case will be treated. They can decide his fate.”
A security source said: “It will be difficult to adopt a different approach for Igboho. Before negotiation, he must first of all respect the law of the land by surrendering.
“He is promoting secession, which is treasonable. The question of peace talks is political. Let him honour security agencies’ summons before seeking refuge.
“Security agents recovered arms from his residence .We have some of his aides with us and they have made some revelations. He needs to come and clarify a few things.”
The Oluwo, in his Friday letter to President Buhari, pleaded for forgiveness for Igboho and asked that the order for his arrest be ‘slowed down’ to enable him (oba) bring him to Abuja for possible peace talks.
He was confident that Igboho would drop his agitation for the creation of a Yoruba nation.
“He has pledged his readiness to listen to us,” the Oluwo said.
He added: “I promise your Excellency that Igboho will mind his steps henceforth. He has suffered a lot.
“He would step down agitations. I will bring him for a peace talk at an appropriate time.”
“He visited my palace sometime in 2018. I give pieces of advice when sought. Instead of Igboho to distinctively differentiate between agitation towards government and inter groups activism, he failed.
“At a point, he abused stakeholders with spurious allegations. I was the first on the list for drumming support for one Nigeria.
“As a father, I’ve personally forgiven him. And I’m personally beseeching your Excellency as the number one citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to demonstrate your magnanimity by forgiving our promising son, Chief Adeyemo Sunday Igboho.
“He is a novice in handling issues against the government. He is a gift to us in Yoruba. He has pledged his readiness to listen to us.
“I appeal to your Excellency to slow down security trail on Sunday Igboho. I have the assurance adhering to this piece will go a long way in strengthening the unity of Nigeria.
‘I promise your Excellency that Igboho will mind his steps henceforth. He has suffered a lot. He would step down agitations. I will bring him for a peace talk at an appropriate time.”
The DSS had said in a statement on the joint security raid of Igboho’s residence that two of his men were killed and 13 arrested during the early morning raid.
-The Nation.
A human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has urged South-East residents to completely ignore what he described as a “fraudulent” sit-at-home order allegedly scheduled for Monday, February 2, 2026, by a faction of the group.
Recall that the pro-Biafran group, through its spokesman Emma Powerful, had directed a sit-at-home on February 2 across the region in solidarity with traders at the Onitsha Main Market.
Powerful said the total shutdown in Biafraland is a direct, peaceful, and unified response to the actions of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who ordered the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week.
But in a counter statement released on Saturday, Ejiofor said the source behind the directive, operating under the guise of “Emma Powerful,” has been compromised and is acting against the collective interest of Ndi-Igbo.
He insisted that IPOB has formally and decisively distanced itself from the false sit-at-home order and directed Ndi-Igbo to go about their lawful activities without fear.
The statement read in part: “Once again, the well-worn theatre of misinformation has opened its curtains, this time with a particularly lazy script and an insultingly predictable cast.
“Late yesterday, a report was widely circulated alleging that a total lockdown of Ala-Igbo had been ordered under the guise of a sit-at-home directive purportedly issued by ‘Emma Powerful,’ slated for Monday, February 2, 2026.
“Let it be stated clearly, unequivocally, and without ambiguity: this directive is fake, a phantom, a calculated falsehood.
“Upon careful inquiry and diligent verification, especially considering the delicate and hard-won calm presently returning to our homeland, it became glaringly obvious that the so-called ‘Emma Powerful’ platform has been fatally compromised.
“It has been hijacked by vested interests whose business model thrives on fear, disruption, extortion, and the cynical exploitation of vulnerable communities.
“The peaceful global movement of the IPOB has formally and decisively disowned this fabricated publication, categorically distancing itself from the false sit-at-home order and directing Ndi-Igbo to go about their lawful and normal activities without fear.
“Going forward, the message from IPOB is unmistakable: any publication attributed to ‘Emma Powerful’ should be treated with extreme suspicion, if not outright contempt.
“Frankly, one cannot but express astonishment, bordering on disbelief, that at such a critical juncture, when relative peace is cautiously resurfacing in Ala-Igbo, anyone would recklessly circulate information capable of reopening wounds and inviting criminal infiltration.
“History has taught us, at unbearable cost, what happens when fake directives fall into the hands of violent opportunists masquerading as enforcers.
“It is therefore no longer sufficient to merely advise our people to ‘ignore’ publications from this source. The time has come for greater clarity and firmness. The platform known as ‘Emma Powerful,’ in its current corrupted state, has positioned itself as an adversary to Ala-Igbo’s peace, progress, and collective well-being.”
According to Ejiofor, the peaceful global movement must go further by publicly and definitively explaining why this source has become unreliable, compromised, and hostile to the collective interest of Ndi-Igbo. Silence, ambiguity, or polite distancing, he said, only leaves room for further abuse.
“A masquerade that dances with fire should not be mistaken for a messenger of truth,” the statement concluded.
In recent operations across the North East, troops of the Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have neutralized scores of terrorists and recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition.
Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) in a statement said intelligence has confirmed the killing of JULAIBIB, a top ISWAP commander operating within the Gujba axis of the Timbuktu Triangle, during an encounter around Kimba, Damboa LGA of Borno State, on 30 January 2026.
According to the statement, the elimination of the terrorist leader has thrown ISWAP elements in the area into disarray, with several fighters reportedly neutralised during the operation.
In a related operation, troops of OPHK, working in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force, neutralised 3 terrorists during a well-coordinated ambush between Ngazalgana and Lamusheri communities in Borno State.
It said the operation followed credible intelligence on insurgent movements in the area, as troops laid an ambush along the identified route and engaged the terrorists with effective firepower, resulting in the neutralisation of 3 insurgents, while others fled with gunshot injuries.
The statement said troops recovered two AK-47, adding that the operation forms part of sustained efforts to deny terrorists freedom of movement and degrade their operational capabilities across the Theatre.
It said troops also recorded multiple successes in Adamawa State, adding that on 29 January, 2026, troops responded swiftly to a distress call from Barama community, Mubi North LGA, foiling an armed robbery attempt. Two armed robbery suspects attempting to attack a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, were arrested. One suspect sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh while attempting to confront the troops and was evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre, Mubi, for treatment.
The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation. Items recovered include 3 cutlasses, 2 laptops, 4 mobile phones, and one power bank.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State has affirmed the death sentences passed on five 2018 Offa robbery convicts.
The court dismissed their appeals as lacking merit.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the state, Mohammed Akande, who witnessed the proceedings, said that the three Appeal Court judges unanimously agreed on the judgement and affirmed the verdict of the state High Court condemning the five persons to death by hanging.
“The Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division comprising of Hon. Justice Ridwan Maiwada Abdullahi JCA, Hon. Justice Gabriel Kolawole JCA and Hon. Justice Abdul Dogo today, Friday affirmed the judgment of Hon. Justice H. A. Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court, that sentenced the Appellants: Niyi Ogundiran, Salawu Azeez, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun and Adeola Abraham to death by hanging for the involvement in the Offa Bank Robbery”.
Another official of the Court also said that the appellate court rejected all the grounds of appeal filed by the convicts and ordered their immediate return to prison custody.
“The court dismissed all their grounds of appeal and upheld their convictions. They have been taken back to prison,” the official said.
The official said that the arguments raised at the Court of Appeal were unconvincing and may not succeed if repeated at the apex court.
It is recalled that Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye and Adeola Abraham were convicted of armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and culpable homicide.
A sixth suspect, Michael Adikwu, a retired police officer, died in custody before the commencement of the trial.
At least 32 people were killed, including nine police officers, two of whom were women, making it one of the deadliest bank robberies in Nigeria’s history.
Justice Haleemah Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court had earlier sentenced the five convicts to death by hanging after a trial that lasted about six years and attracted nationwide attention.
In her judgment, which lasted over four hours, Justice Salman held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
She said the convicts “acted contrary to the law and allowed their connections with those in power at the time to lead them astray”.
In addition to the death sentence, the trial court also sentenced them to three years’ imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms, in line with provisions of Nigeria’s penal laws.
Lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), described the appellate court’s decision as thorough and well considered, despite the prolonged delays that characterised the trial.
On the defence side, Abdullah Jimba, counsel to one of the convicts, said that preparations were underway to pursue a final appeal at the Supreme Court.
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