A renowned constitutional lawyer,
Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has called on Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo,
better known as Sunday Igboho, to approach the court and seek protection from
being arrested, waylaid or detained by the police or any other security agency
in the country.
Ozekhome, who made this call in a
statement on Saturday, condemned the attempt to arrest Igboho, who he described
as the new face of the Yoruba struggle for self-determination.
Ozekhome said, ‘‘Sunday Igboho
can approach a court of law under the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure
Rules and seek protection from being arrested, being waylaid, being detained
and having his humanity degraded.
“He can go to court to seek his
fundamental rights that he is entitled to freedom of movement, freedom of
association and the right to move across Nigeria and any part that he wishes without
let or hindrance.
“A court of law will grant him
that because it has not been shown that he has committed any offence and none
has been alleged against him. If any has been alleged against him, then they
could invite him.’’
US Yoruba group warns against
Igboho’s arrest
Meanwhile, the Egbe Omo Oduduwa
in Minnesota, United States of America has warned against the arrest of Igboho,
in connection with his campaign against killer herdsmen in the South-West.
The President of Egbe Omo Oduduwa
in Minnesota, US, Pastor Goke Odujole, said. “The government will be making the
greatest mistake if they arrest Sunday Igboho. Sunday Igboho is not an
individual, but a freedom fighter representing majority of the Yoruba people
and a symbol to the hopelessness in the South-West.
“Majority of the Yoruba people
are not happy with the current state of things in Nigeria, especially the
insecurity, kidnappings, raping of our women, making farmers to abandon their
farms.
“If they arrest him, it will be
like pouring petrol into fire because there are many more Sunday Igbohos who
will rise up. The Nigerian government should look inwards and address the
reason why Sunday Igboho is standing up.”
Decrying the level of insecurity
in the country, Odujole said things had got a point where individuals had to
arrange for their own security rather than count on government, hence the
emergence of Sunday Igboho.
“Everyone has a right to protect
themselves. If they arrest Igboho, the repercussions will be unbearable. They
should arrest the killers of Olufon of Ifon, Dr Fatai Aborode and many others,”
he added.
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