There is growing pressure on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu to order the arrest of Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho for openly demanding the secession of Yoruba land from Nigeria, it was learnt.
The situation was said to have become more complicated after Igboho shunned an invitation extended to him by the force.
Police authorities are said to be planning a clandestine operation to arrest the Oyo State-based activist after an earlier attempt in March failed.
However, they are said to be treading cautiously for fear of further heightening inter-ethnic tensions in the country, Saturday Punch reported.
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The newspaper cited an unnamed senior police officer as confirming the pressure on the IGP to arrest Igboho.
“The IG has been under political pressure to arrest Igboho but some leaders from the South-West have also advised against Igboho’s arrest to avoid throwing the region into chaos. Igboho has a large following which may react violently if he is arrested. The police authorities are in a dilemma over the issue but I think the IG succumbed to pressure from government hawks who are uncomfortable with Igboho’s trenchant calls for the disintegration of the country,” the senior policeman was quoted to have said.
Igboho confirmed on Friday the IGP sent letters to him but his security team rejected the letters over concerns for his safety.
“We would like to tell the international community and every Nigerian that this morning, 1st of April, 2021, a letter was sent via DHL to Chief Sunday Igboho but the letter was not received by his security team.
“Later around 3pm of the same day, a team of about six men without uniform arrived in a (Toyota) Corolla car and another nine were in police uniform but all were identified as police officers.
“They wanted to see Chief Sunday Igboho with a letter said to have been addressed to him by the Inspector-General of Police. Again, the letter was not received by Chief Sunday’s security team.
“Chief Sunday would like to know why a letter was sent to him and for what purpose. If the IG of Police wants to invite him, we would like him to first send the same letter to all the bandits and Boko Haram members killing our mothers and farmers and those kidnapping them.
“Since the IG of Police wants to invite him, he should make a public statement addressed to Chief Sunday Igboho. We should all remember how a letter was sent to the late Dele Giwa,” Igboho’s media aide, Olayomi Koiki said in a statement.