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Soyinka wants Nigerian govt to apologise to Igboho, says DSS invasion of his home ‘stinks’

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RULE OF LAW COMMENT: Soyinka warns Buhari

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has called on the Federal Government to apologise to the Self-acclaimed Yoruba freedom fighter, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Igboho, after officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) invaded his home and killed two of his associates.

Ripples Nigeria reported that the DSS invaded Igboho’s house at Ibadan, Oyo State, in the early hours of Thursday, July 1, saying the agency received intelligence that he was stockpiling arms to cause chaos within the region.

Igboho, who has been declared wanted by the DSS, had been calling for a ‘Yoruba Nation’ over what he described as a ‘Fulani invasion’ of the South-West.

In an interview with BBC Pidgin on Monday, Soyinka said the government’s actions and reason for invading Igboho’s home “stinks.”

He said, “My advice to the government is that they should stop pursuing Igboho as a criminal because you have begun by acting in a criminal fashion against him.

“If and when Igboho comes to trial, I guarantee you the government will be very embarrassed.

READ ALSO: [STREET RIPPLES] What do you make of Nnamdi Kanu’s rearrest and hunt for Sunday Igboho?

“I think they should tell Igboho ‘we made a mistake’, ‘we should not have acted in this way’, ‘you are no longer wanted’, ‘go back to your home, in fact, escort him to his home’ and let him resume his normal life.”

Meanwhile, Soyinka noted that Igboho’s fight for freedom was preceded by criminal acts of enemies of Nigeria who “appear to be supported by the force of the State.”

While the Nobel Laureate maintained that he doesn’t like the sound of a Yoruba Nation any more than he likes the sound of a Tiv or Igbo nation, he said the country must be restructured through the decentralisation of power.

According to the erudite professor, Nigeria’s current structure was imposed upon the people by the military.

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