Sunday Igboho, a Yoruba activist, has been declared wanted by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to the service's spokesperson, Peter Afunnaya, who spoke to reporters in Abuja on Thursday, the DSS raided Igboho's Ibadan apartment in the early hours of Thursday, July 1.
The service had received information that Ighoho was stockpiling firearms in his residence, he claimed.
According to Afunnaya, DSS operatives were ambushed by nine men thought to be his guards, six of whom were equipped with AK-47 and pump-action rifles.
According to him, one of the operators was wounded by gunfire during the encounter.
He claimed that the weapons confiscated during the raid includes; Three Pump Action Guns, 30 fully loaded AK-47 magazines, Seven AK-47 assault rifles, 5,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five cutlasses, and one Jackknife.
"A joint team of security operatives invaded the residence of Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo a.k.a. SUNDAY IGBOHO at Soka, Ibadan, Oyo State, in the early hours of today, July 1, 2021 (about 0134 hours). This was based on information that he had a stockpile of weapons in the location. The squad was ambushed by nine (9) guys, presumed to be IGBOHO's guards, as they approached the residence. Six (6) of them were armed with AK-47 rifles, while the other three (3) were armed with Pump-Action Rifles.
Two (2) of IGBOHO's armed men were gunned down during the exchange, while the others were subdued and captured. Only one operative was injured as the assailants shot him in the right hand. He has, however, undergone medical treatment and is in good health.
Afterwards, the team procedurally searched the house and subsequently recovered the following among others:
i. Seven (7) AK-47 assault rifles;
ii. Three (3) Pump Action guns;
iii. Thirty (30) fully charged AK-47 magazines;
iv. Five Thousand (5,000) rounds of 7.62mm ammunition;
v. Five (5) Cutlasses, One (1) Jackknife, One (1) Pen Knife
vi. Two (2) Pistol holsters;
vii. One (1) binoculars
viii. A wallet containing Five (5) US Dollars in one (1) Dollar denomination; local and international driver’s licences in his name, ATM Cards, a German residence permit No. YO2N6K1NY bearing his name;
ix. Two (2) whistles;
x. Fifty (5) Cartridges;
xi. Eighteen (18) Walkie-Talkies;
xii. Three Voodoo charm jackets/traditional body armour;
xiii. Two (2) Laptops (One (1) Toshiba and One (1) Compaq); an
xiv. His International Passport and those of many others (as displayed here). Further exploitation and forensic analysis are ongoing.
Aside the items recovered from the building, about thirteen (13) suspects including twelve (12) males and one (1) female were arrested and brought to Abuja. While one suspect is being profiled, the other twelve (12) paraded here are:
i. Abdulateef OFEYAGBE
ii. Amoda BABATUNDE aka Lady K (female)
iii. Tajudeen ERINOYEN
iv. Diakola ADEMOLA
v. Abideen SHITTU
vi. Jamiu NOAH
vii. Ayobami DONALD
viii. Adelabe USMAN
ix. Oluwafelumi KUNLE
x. Raji KAZEEM
xi. Taiwo OPEYEMI and
xii. Bamidele SUNDAY.
Highlights of this brief are to inform Nigerians and the world that Sunday Igboho and his group, in the guise of a campaign for self-determination, have become well-armed and determined to undermine public order.
The arrest and seizures are no doubt confirmation of a grand plan by Igboho and cohorts to wage a violent insurrection against the Nigerian state.
Alert foreign missions and licensing authorities within and outside Nigeria about this development and the possibility that Igboho could declare some of his personal permit and identity cards missing in order to seek their replacement.
Apprise stakeholders that the Five (5) AK-47 assault rifles recovered from the building are suspected to be those collected by IGBOHO’s men from Nigerian Customs and Immigration personnel at Idi Iroko, Ogun State
The gun duel which lasted for an hour offered IGBOHO the chance to escape. Sunday ADEYEMO a.k.a Sunday IGBOHO is now on the run. IGBOHO may run as far as he can. He may hide as long as he wants.
He might have attacked security operatives as his strength carried him. But this will be the end of his shenanigans. He won't be able to hide for much longer. His strength will certainly fail him. And the law will catch up with him. The law may be slow, but it will be steady.
As a result, ADEYEMO/IGBOHO is advised to report to the nearest security agency. Those who are praising and lauding him may make an appeal to him or advise him to take action. He should hand himself over to the appropriate authorities. He or anyone can never be above the law. Meanwhile, those who have been arrested will face charges," he stated.