Sunday Adeyemo popularly called Sunday Igboho has declared that he has no intention of leading the Oyo State Security Network (codename Amotekun) as claimed in some quarters.
Adeyemo who stated this on Tuesday during a live interview programmed hosted by Dele Momodu on Instagram vowed that he won’t rest until all Fulani herdsmen vacate all sections of Yoruba land.
The interview was held on the heels of the vacation order issued to herdsmen who have been reported to have continued to rape, maim, kidnap and kill innocent citizens in some sections of the country including Oyo State.
When asked about insinuations that decisions made so far were antics to become the leader of Amotekun, Adeyemo said: “I am not interested in leading Amotekun, I am not interested. I heard them but I am not interested. I am not a vigilante, hunter or security guard. Why would you be enticing me with that rubbish? I am talking about ridding the land of kidnapping herdsmen. I am still on that.”
He added: “The sufferings we endure from the hands of these Fulani men are too much. They have continued to kill our brothers and sisters, our fathers and mothers.
“And the government is not providing adequate security for us, we have to face them to say this is enough, that we want to be our own security. And it has now been turned into a controversy, but if we do not get to where we are going, we won’t stop.”
• Denies meeting Ojudu about Ekiti election
When asked if he hopes to merge with the corps led by Nnamdi Kanu in the South-East, he said “I don’t know him and I’ve never met him. My grouse is with Fulani herdsmen who rape and kill in Yorubaland and they must leave. Should we go to their land to go and kidnap them? We don’t have that right. This is our own fatherland.”
Adeyemo also denied receiving money from politicians, particularly former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, to stay off Ekiti elections in 2009 as claimed by in opinion piece credited to Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He denied ever meeting Senator Ojudu on the orders of Tinubu or Baba Adedibu, saying Adedibu died in 2008 before the meeting was said to have taken place in 2009.
‘Tinubu gave me N2million in Lagos to steer clear of Ondo election’
Adeyemo, however, said he only got N2 million from Tinubu to stay off the Ondo election, adding that the meeting was arranged by former Oyo governor, Rashidi Ladoja.
Adeyemo said: “I saw him (Tinubu) during Mimiko’s election in Ondo. I supported his opponent. He called Ladoja and Ladoja told me Tinubu asked to see me and I should accord him all respects and heed his instructions. My key is with Baba Ladoja. Baba Tinubu got my phone number and called me and asked that I meet him at Burdillion.
“He asked if I knew the role PDP played during Baba Ladoja’s impeachment trial. I answered in affirmative. He said it is better I stay off PDP in Ondo election so they can reap the fruits of their labour and I agreed. He gave me N2 million that day for fuel expenses and you can verify from him. We had left PDP for Accord Party at that time.
“The person (Ojudu) who said Adedibu instructed me to go to Ekiti in 2009 made a costly error in that lie. Baba Adedibu died in 2008. Even if he forgot the date, I never worked with Baba Adedibu before.
“He claimed I held a meeting with him here in Ibadan, let him swear by the god he serves that the meeting took place. All he said were lies; I don’t know him. He only wanted to be relevant in this discussion about vacating herdsmen from Yoruba land. This is not the first time he has concocted lies. You have to be wary of him as a friend.
“As a senator, what has he done to defend his kinsmen from the onslaught of the Fulani herdsmen? The other day, Fayose stood his ground against these herdsmen.”
• Why I want to defend Yoruba land ― Igboho
Speaking further on the developments that led to the agitation for the eviction of Fulanis in Yoruba land: “The issue in Ibarapa has been one for about a year. Many people have been killed there including Fatai Oko Oloyun. The government only promised but the suspects have not been brought to justice. The family was thrown into mourning by these herdsmen. The same thing happened with Dr Aborode who established a farm here.
“Crops on the farm were eaten and destroyed by cattle and he approached the Seriki Fulani who is the head of the Fulanis, he was accosted, beaten and killed.
“Another female filling station owner in Ibarapa and these Fulanis cried out for help when she was about to be kidnapped and he was killed on the spot. There are so many people in that area and they kidnapped so many people who paid at least N7 million for their release.
“The prince of Igangan as also kidnapped recently and the traditional ruler paid the ransom for his release and the government didn’t do anything.
“The people there who are predominantly farmers can’t go to the farms anymore because the women are being raped on their way to and from the farm. And over there, we sleep outside before now but now the trouble has been so much.
“But I went there to investigate from the leaders there. They sought my help to rid of these criminalities. The people joined me and we told the Fulanis they must leave this place.
“This Seriki Fulani, Saliu, was the intermediary between the community and the kidnappers. So, he knows who the criminals are. We had to warn him but they can’t go to him alone because he would kill them and he has about three roadblocks before anyone can get to his house.
“While I was there asking him how these criminalities happen in the area. He didn’t listen to me, he was on the phone talking to the DC. I collected the phone and was about to speak with the Dc when one of Seriki’s boys brought out a gun but my men disarmed him. Another Fulani also shot a gun close to the Seriki’s palace where we were. The Seriki said it was a mistake. The range of cars I met at Seriki’s abode are numerous.
“When I got back to Ibadan, there were many threats made to me, saying I had no rights to issue an eviction notice to Fulanis. Instead of revealing the suspects, he said the criminals are some Bororo men. My people told me they were threatened before the expiration of the ultimatum.
“On the day the ultimatum expired, there numerous military vehicles in Ibarapa there. This shows this government is wicked. If they had given the people of Ibarapa this kind of security, then the criminals would have left Ibarapa.
“I asked the Area Commander at Eruwa to go with me and I told the commissioner of police I was going to Ibarapa not to go and fight. I had to fulfil the promise I made to my people that I will be in Ibarapa. After I left, I heard some places were burned down, I don’t know about that.
“Then I heard the commissioner, the AIG, the governor said I should be arrested. What I have done? Why is Nigeria continuing to maltreat us like this? It shouldn’t get to this level.
“This morning, my brothers ran to this place from my old house around Soka, saying some people came to my house, brought down the gate and burned the house.”
and then