Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, who was declared wanted by Nigerian security agencies on terrorism-related allegations, has been removed from the nation’s wanted list following the intervention of Yoruba monarchs and the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The development was confirmed by his spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, who said the decision clears the way for Igboho’s return to Nigeria after nearly four years outside the country.
Igboho was placed on the wanted list in 2021 after the Department of State Services (DSS) accused him of terrorism-related activities, including the illegal stockpiling of arms and ammunition, incitement of violence, and actions considered a threat to national security.
Security agencies also cited his public statements and mobilisation efforts as capable of triggering ethnic violence and unrest in the South-West. These allegations culminated in a joint DSS and military raid on his Ibadan residence in July 2021, during which armed resistance was reported, some of his associates were killed, and others arrested.
Following the operation, Igboho fled Nigeria and was later arrested in the Benin Republic at Cotonou Airport, where he was detained before his release in 2022. Despite his release, he remained unable to return home, as his passport was seized, his bank accounts frozen, and his name retained on Nigeria’s security watchlist.
According to his spokesman, Yoruba monarchs from across the South-West appealed directly to President Tinubu to resolve the matter. The intervention reportedly involved senior traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and other prominent royal fathers.
With President Tinubu’s approval for the removal of his name from the wanted list, Igboho is now legally free to return to Nigeria, marking a major political and security decision in a case that had remained unresolved for years.
Abuja Network News
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