FG May Outlaw Yoruba Nation Group Like IPOB

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The Federal Government is considering all options against Yoruba
Nation separatist group including the proscription of the movement
led by Prof Banji Akintoye and Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday
Igboho, PUNCH reports.

According to the Office of the Attorney General of the
Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Federal Government would
explore all options within the context of the law to ensure a
peaceful and united Nigeria.

Malami’s Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Umar
Gwandu, stated this in an interview with PUNCH on Saturday.

The AGF’s aide also said it was not true that the government of
the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), had not been
prosecuting terrorists and bandits.

Gwandu, however, did not give details of what the government has
been doing on the planned extradition of Igboho, who has been in a
detention facility in Cotonou, Benin Republic since he was arrested
around 8pm on July 19, 2021, by the Interpol at the Cadjèhoun
Airport.

We exclusively reported last week that the Federal Government
was plotting the arrest of Akintoye, Igboho’s partner in the
struggle for the secession of Yoruba from Nigeria.

The octogenarian professor of History, who has since left
Nigeria for neighbouring Benin Republic, ostensibly, to escape plot
for his arrest, had said he was not afraid of any arrest.

The 86-year-old scholar had said he was in Benin Republic to
ensure the release of Igboho and would return to Nigeria as soon as
the embattled 48-year-old agitator was freed.

Akintoye, the leader of the umbrella body of the Yoruba
self-determination group known as Ilana Omo Oodua; and Igboho, have
been seen together at press conferences and rallies championing the
cause to secede from Nigeria and establish a Yoruba Nation.

The Department of State Services had raided Igboho’s residence
around 1 am on July 1, 2021. The secret police had said it killed
two of his associates and arrested about 12 others during the
bloody raid.

Igboho, who narrowly escaped the bloody raid, was subsequently
declared wanted for allegedly stockpiling arms to destabilise
Nigeria under the pretext of Yoruba Nation.

The DSS had also alleged that it recovered seven AK-47 rifles,
three pump-action rifles, one stun gun, 221 live rounds of 5.56mm
ammunition, 1,295 live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one jackknife
and a walkie-talkie during the raid of Igboho’s house on July 1,
2021. Igboho had denied the allegations.

After going underground for 19 days, Igboho found his way to
Benin Republic but luck ran out on him and he was arrested around 8
pm on July 19, 2021, by the Interpol at the Cadjèhoun Airport in
Cotonou, when he tried to board a flight to Germany.

Igboho was arrested after the Federal Government notified its
West African neighbours — including Republic of Benin- that he
should be captured.

He was arrested with his wife, Ropo, but the Cour De’appal De
Cotonou ordered the release of the wife based in Germany saying
there were no allegations against her.

The Cour De’appal De Cotonou, however, ordered that Igboho be in
prison custody in the country while further investigations would be
carried out on the case against him.

Igboho, who is now seeking asylum in Benin Republic, is facing
allegations bordering on trafficking in arms, inciting violence and
causing disunity in Nigeria.

Some of the other offences said to have been committed by the
activist bordered on entering the Benin Republic illegally and
alleged planned intent to cause social unrest in the West African
country.

Though currently in detention, the court granted the 48-year-old
agitator access to medical care while his lawyers continue to
battle for his release and kick against his extradition to
Nigeria.

Asked whether the AGF Office had abandoned the extradition of
Igboho or otherwise, Malami’s aide said he could not make the
“processes” known to the public.

Gwandu said, “There are certain things that may not require
publicity but the important thing is having a peaceful Nigeria and
not discussing all or making public some of the processes so
far.”

The AGF Office is responsible for matters regarding extradition,
repatriation and transfer of suspects or wanted persons.

Malami had on June 29, 2021, announced the “arrest” and
“extradition” of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of
Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from a foreign country. The AGF Office has
since re-arraigned the IPOB leader before Justice Binta Nyako for
terrorism-related charges. The trial of Kanu, remanded in DSS
custody in Abuja, has since been adjourned till October 21,
2021.

In September 2017, Malami and the then Solicitor General of the
Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of
Justice, Mr Dayo Apata, had approached the Federal High Court in
Abuja to give judicial backing to the Executive Order of President
Buhari, outlawing IPOB and its activities in every part of
Nigeria.

The then Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice
Abdu Kafarati, had granted the order proscribing the group.

Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday, the AGF Office said
options were on the table to deal with Yoruba Nation groups to
ensure a united and peaceful Nigeria.

“The Federal Government is interested in having a peaceful
Nigeria, so, all options cannot be ruled out, all options in order
to have a peaceful and serene atmosphere in the country can be
explored by the Federal Government,” he said.

Asked specifically whether the Federal Government intended to
proscribe Akintoye and Igboho-led Yoruba Nation group, the AGF
Office said, “Whatever thing that is doable and possible within the
context of the law in accordance with extant provisions of the law
will be pursued. All options are available at the Federal
Government’s end.”

Some Nigerians including Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had
accused the Buhari government of allegedly pampering bandits and
failing to prosecute arrested terrorists while being hard on
separatists.

However, the AGF Office said it was not true, adding that the
government was also prosecuting arrested bandits and
terrorists.

“That is a lie. There is a department under the Attorney General
that is pursuing all the issues. It doesn’t hold water; it is just
a mere figment of the imagination of mischief-makers,” Malami’s
aide said.

When contacted, Akintoye’s Communications Manager, Maxwell
Adeleye, told Sunday PUNCH on Saturday that the Buhari government
won’t want to descend low to outlaw the Yoruba Nation group led by
his principal.

Adeleye told our correspondent that Ilana Omo Oodua was not a
terrorist group but a peaceful self-determination association with
a belief in referendum and sensitisation through rallies.

He said, “There is no basis for the proscription of Ilana Omo
Oodua. The government can only proscribe a terrorist group and not
a peaceful group like Ilana Omo Oodua. All our members arrested in
Ojota (area in Lagos), were charged with disturbance of public
peace but later released. Why weren’t they charged with treasonable
felony or murder?

“If the government proscribes us, we are going to challenge it
in the court of law because we have committed no offence. It is an
organisation that believes in peaceful agitation for
self-determination. We even released a manual on peaceful agitation
for self-determination as authored by our Leader, Emeritus
Professor Banji Akintoye.

“I do not think the Nigerian government will descend so low to
proscribe a peaceful organisation like Ilana Omo Oodua. Professor
Akintoye has released a formal statement that he is not afraid of
arrest and that he is coming to Nigeria soon.”

The spokesman for Akintoye also said the group had no
association with IPOB and does not believe in the sit-at-home order
issued by the group in the South-East.

“Sit-at-home is never in our plan. Ilana Omo Oodua has no
association with IPOB, so comparing IPOB methodology with ours is
heretical. Our modus operandi is totally different. With all due
respect to the members of IPOB, the only thing we have in common is
that they want Biafra Nation and we want an independent Yoruba
Nation.

“We are for peaceful self-determination; we believe in
referendum, we don’t want war, we are not going to shoot a gun or
carry a cutlass to attack anyone. We do not have any military wing.
We are for peace and we believe the best way to achieve this is by
NINAS (Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for
Self-Determination) strategy of referendum and that is why we have
been holding rallies to sensitise our people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Coordinator, Legal Affairs for Igboho, Olasupo Ojo,
said that self-determination is a right and the Federal Government
can’t proscribe it.

“I dare them to do it. Boko Haram is out there killing people
and they didn’t proscribe them, they kept quiet. Let them do their
worst. They can’t scare anybody.

“How many groups do they know? Do they know how many groups are
agitating for Yoruba Nation all over the globe? It is too late,
they can’t proscribe a right. Until they remove the right from the
law, they can’t do that. They should read Article 20 of the African
Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,” he told our
correspondent.

Article 20 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
read, “All peoples shall have the right to existence. They shall
have the unquestionable and inalienable right to
self-determination. They shall freely determine their political
status and shall pursue their economic and social development
according to the policy they have freely chosen.

“Colonised or oppressed peoples shall have the right to free
themselves from the bonds of domination by resorting to any means
recognised by the international community.

“All peoples shall have the right to the assistance of the State
Parties to the present Charter in their liberation struggle against
foreign domination, be it political, economic or cultural.”

Meanwhile, Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, on
Saturday said the government had no right to proscribe any
group.

The leader of the group, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, said that though
Afenifere was not a member of Akintoye and Igboho’s group, he added
that any attempt to proscribe the group was an act of
dictatorship.

The 93-year-old Afenifere leader said, “We are not members of
the group but the government has no right to proscribe any
organisation in as much as the organisation is not involved in any
criminal activity. What criminal activities are they involved in?
They have a right to exist. Why has (British Prime Minister), Boris
Johnson, not proscribed the Scottish Nationalist Party campaigning
for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom?

“You may not agree with Igboho or Akintoye but they have a right
to exist. It is an act of dictatorship for the AGF office to say it
may proscribe an organisation in a democracy. Under what right?
They have no right to do it.”

Adebanjo said it was the refusal of the Buhari government to
restructure Nigeria to federalism that birthed the Akintoye and
Igboho’s group.

“We have been saying it that Igboho is asking for secession
because the government does not want to restructure back to
federalism. We made that clear. It is the act of the government’s
refusal that is encouraging the Igbohos and Nnamdi Kanus. And they
(government) know it,” he said.

Another member of Igboho’s legal team, Pelumi Olajegbensi, said
the Federal Government should focus on addressing the grievances of
the people rather than chasing self-determination proponents.

He said, “Why are people demanding for a country of their own?
It is because of the reckless injustice affecting the state. It is
because people don’t feel comfortable and safe within the Nigerian
nation. So, if people are safe and they believe their interest is
secured within the political structure called Nigeria, there will
be no need for self-determination and Yoruba Nation.

“Yoruba Nation is the feeling of the people that if this country
cannot work, they deserve a country that can work.

“The Federal Government should channel its energy to give the
people a country that they will be proud of rather than
grandstanding and acting as if the country is all about some
people. The Federal Government should channel its energy in
addressing the challenges so that people can be willing to
associate with Nigeria and call the country their own country
because it will shock us one day that even some people from the
North and Middle Belt, will begin to demand a country of their own
when this government or any government is not doing what it should
do. No nation can continue with this level of injustice, it is not
possible. Instead of threatening people, the government should
build a country that the people can happily associate with.”

ThePunch