Govt links Igboho to Boko Haram sponsor; Kanu to #EndSARS protests

By Eric Ikhilae, Sanni Onogu, Tony Akowe, Nicholas Kalu, Abuja and Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

• Alleges N273m passed through Igboho’s account in eight years

• Blames IPOB for killing Akunyili, Gulak, 184 others

• DSS releases agitator’s aides after 114 days in custody

• Afenifere, Ohanaeze, others kick

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said yesterday that the Federal Government had found that the major financier of the Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a. Sunday Igboho is a member of the National Assembly.

Malami, who was silent on the identity of the federal lawmaker, said a report by a committee constituted by the Federal Government also revealed that Igboho allegedly received funding from a firm, Abbai Bako and Sons, allegedly being probed for terrorism financing activities.

“It will be recalled that Abbal Bako & Sons and its promoter, Abdullahi Umar Usman, are suspects in the ongoing Joint Terrorist Financing Investigation.

“Abdullahi Umar Usman is, by way of financial transaction, connected to Surajo Abubakar Muhammad (who was sentenced to life imprisonment in UAE on charges of financing terrorism (Boko Haram),” Malami said.

But reacting to the AGF’s claims yesterday, the apex Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, described them as “illogical reasoning”.

Senate spokesman, Senator Ajibola Basiru, also described the allegations against Igboho as weighty but lacking facts.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Malami said the Presidential Ad-hoc Committee set up after the re-arrest of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, had been able to identify Igboho’s sponsors and financiers.

He said: “The Federal Government has received the report on financiers of Adeniyi Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho.

“The report revealed that Sunday Igboho is a director and signatory to Adesun International Concept Limited, registered on 23rd April, 2010.

“Adesun International Concept Limited also has Oladele Oyetunji and Aderopo Adeyemo as directors. Sunday Igboho is linked to 43 bank accounts in 9 banks.

“The major financier of the fugitive and separatists was found to be a Federal Law Maker in the National Assembly.

“A total sum of N127,145,000.00 was received by Igboho from his financiers between 22nd October, 2013 and 28th September, 2020 through Adesun International Concept Ltd accounts.

“A total sum of N273,198,200.00 transaction outflows was recorded from Sunday Igboho’s account between 15th March, 2013 and 11th March, 2021.

Investigation reveals that Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) transferred the sum of N12,750,000 to Abbal Bako & Sons.

“The report found connections of financial transaction between Adesun International Concept

Ltd (belonging to Igboho) and some construction companies and businesses among others.”

The AGF also said the committee catalogued the alleged atrocities committed by Kanu and his associates in the course of their terrorism activities.

Malami claimed that Kanu took advantage of the 2020 EndSARS protest to destroy property and killed individuals, particularly security personnel.

“Despite the proscription of IPOB by the Federal Government, Nnamdi Kanu continued the subversive campaign, instigating and inciting broadcasts to direct members of the IPOB to launch attacks on government.

“The EndSARS protests of October 2020 played into the sinister plans of Nnamdi Kanu, whereby he seized the protests through subversive and inciting online broadcasts and actively commanded and directed attacks on security personnel and facilities.

“As a result of these broadcasts, members of IPOB attacked and killed security personnel and burnt down police stations, correctional centres, INEC offices, bus terminals, the palace of Oba of Lagos, banks, hospitals, shopping malls and vehicles, amongst others.

“On 12th December, 2020, Eastern Security Network (ESN) was formed by Nnamdi Kanu as an armed wing of IPOB with the mandate to advance the nefarious agenda of the outlawed group.

“ESN continued to launch attacks on security personnel, civilians perceived as enemies as well as destruction of private and public properties.

“The destructive activities of IPOB/ESN pose serious threat to Nigeria’s National Security and its corporate existence, which resulted into re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and members of his group,” Malami said.

The AGF added that there was information that Kanu was receiving supports from both within and outside Nigeria.

“We have also established that KANU is not alone in his subversive activities.  He has accomplices in Nigeria and abroad, individuals and groups as well as state and non-state actors who are aiding and facilitating his campaign against the people and state of Nigeria.

“Some of the state actors aided KANU, even as a fugitive, in his destructive mission, ignoring the terrorist nature of his activities.

“We call on these countries to desist from aiding subversive acts by KANU and IPOB against the state of Nigeria and its people,” Malami said.

The AGF gave details of persons allegedly killed and property destroyed by Kanu’s associates who acted on his inciting comments.

He said: “The committee finds as a fact, that consequent upon the instigating directives of Nnamdi Kanu, members of IPOB/ESN carried out massive attacks on democratic institutions especially INEC Facilities with a view to hampering democratic process in Nigeria.

“These attacks that were carried out between October 2020 and June 2021 include the following:

“Acting on the instigating directives of Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB members and #EndSARS protesters attacked and killed many security agents, destroyed several public and private properties, including police stations, public transport buses and other facilities across the country.

“On 21st October 2020, Nnamdi Kanu through an online call-in radio programme (Radio Biafra), further instigated IPOB members to burn down all police stations and kill government security forces, which was carried out and several security personnel (especially police officers) were killed and public and private properties destroyed.

“175 security personnel were killed by IPOB/ESN, comprising 128 Police men, 37 military personnel and 10 other security operatives.

“Killing of prominent Nigerians (recently there were gruesome killings of traditional leaders: Obi 1 of Okwudor autonomous community, Eze E. Anayochukwu Durueburuo and Eze Sampson Osunwa of Ihebineowerre autonomous community as well as  the killings of Dr. Chike Akunyili  and eight others as  well as the killing of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak on 30th May. 2021);

“As a consequence of Nnamdi Kanu’s broadcasts, there were nineteen (19) attacks on INEC facilities that resulted in the destruction of offices as well as burning of 18 INEC logistical vehicles, several election materials, equipment and ICT gadgets in Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states.

“164 police stations and formations, including Police headquarters, Owerri, Imo State were attacked by IPOB/ESN leading to the death of 128 policemen, 144 injured, while 628 vehicles were destroyed.

“Three hundred and ninety-six (396) firearms and seventeen thousand seven hundred and thirty eight (17,738) ammunition were carted away during the IPOB/ESN attacks;

“There were three (3) IPOB/ESN attacks on Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), including the headquarters of NCoS, Owerri, Imo State where one thousand eight hundred and forty one (1,841) inmates escaped.

“The headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Umuahia, Abia State was also attacked by IPOB/ESN leading to the death of one (1) officer,” Malami said.

Igboho’s lawyer faults Malami, says politicians pressuring Yoruba nation agitator for endorsement

The lead counsel to the embattled Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Yomi Alliyu (SAN), however, faulted Malami’s claims that a link had been established between his client and an alleged financier of terrorists.

In a statement yesterday, Alliyu explained that the minister only tried in futility to establish the link in order to nail his client who has been held in Cotonou, Benin Republic without charges since July 18.

Igboho’s detention is believed to have been carried out on the orders of the Federal Government of Nigeria to enable it prepare the ground for his arrest and prosecution for agitating for Yoruba nation.

Alliyu’s statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a text press conference by the Hon. Attorney General and Minister of Justice wherein he fruitlessly tried to paint our client and those patronising his car trade as terrorists and/or financiers of terrorists.

“I have gone through the text. Sunday was alleged to have transferred the sum of N12.7m to Abbal Bako & Sons owned by Abdullahi Umar. Transferring money to bureau de change to buy dollars is what is done by every businessman of our client’s calibre. Thank God that his passports and various bills of ladings were carted away by DSS during the ungodly invasion of 1st July, 2021.

“Thus, so far, there is no evidence of receipt of money from Abbal Bako & Sons or Abdullahi Umar, going by the text conference. What the Hon AGF stated are mere conjectures, not hard fact.

“Our client, according to him, paid Umar and NOT vice versa, thus believing what the Honourable Attorney General of Federation earlier said that Chief Sunday Adeyemo is being financed by people.

“The picture the Learned AGF wanted to paint is that our Client is being financed by Abdullah Umar allegedly involved in terrorists financing. Who is now financing who?

“Again, Chief Adeyemo is a car dealer trading in the name of Adesun International Concept Ltd. Does it mean that anybody buying car from him or selling car to him is a terrorist?

“Chief Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Igboho Oosa was not into Oodua Nation until last year. So, finding over N273m turnover between October 2013 and September 2020 shows that he was not a poor man. His house invaded by DSS on 1st July 2020 is worth over N2 billion!

“I challenge the Hon AGF to mention the lawmaker that sent money to Chief Sunday Adeyemo for terrorist act whether he would not be damnified in exemplary damages for defamation.

“Up till date, our client has not been prosecuted or found liable for any criminal act or terrorism. There is also a valid and subsisting court judgment that agitation for self-determination is not an act of terrorism but fundamental human right of any citizen.

“My Learned brother Silk and Hon AGF knows that suspicion, no matter how great, cannot grant conviction. Chief Sunday Adeyemo is not a terrorist but a campaigner for self-determination.”

Attorney-General’s claims illogical — Afenifere

Apex Yoruba Organization, Afenifere has reacted to a statement by Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami that Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho has ties to Terrorism.

Afenifere, in a press release signed by its Secretary-General, Chief Sola Ebiseni, yesterday described Malami’s statements as “Illogical reasoning”.

The statement reads: “The Federal Government with its Attorney General will not stop amusing themselves with illogical reasoning on the nationality question.

“It is expected that the AG would be guided by the standard of a reasonable man, which is a central test in legal inquiry, before addressing the public.

“This time around, the team set up by him, at a time he is hell-bent on nailing Igboho, has satisfied his emotional expectations, but in a most unreasonable and tenuous manner, by suggesting that Sunday Igboho, a Yoruba nation campaigner, would be on the same sponsorship with Boko Haram.

“Only someone with pathological hatred for Igboho and insult to the Yoruba nation will find a common bed for Yoruba nation agitation and Boko Haram which is known to act in tandem with the Fulani herdsmen whose terrorist acts were responsible for Igboho’s campaigns.

“The whole world knows what Igboho stood and still stands for and his peaceful modus operandi, in spite of the unwarranted invasion of his house which was aimed at his life by the Federal Government.

“It is of amusing cruelty that the Federal Government, which was unable to defend itself of terrorism against Igboho and for which it was handed N20 billion in aggravated damages, would turn around that Igboho received less than N200 million to sponsor terrorism since 2013 when Igboho had never been heard of and when Major General Muhammad Buhari, as former Military Head of State then, was campaigning for the Sharia as a law of general application in Nigeria.

“The Federal Government and its security agencies should better pay the damages awarded against them, apologise to Igboho and his household for the acts of terrorism committed against the peaceful campaigner.

“The Federal Government may continue to play the ostrich, the whole world knows those who enacted, engineered and continue to promote terrorism in Nigeria.”

Weighty allegation without facts, says Senate spokesman

Contacted for his reaction to Malami’s allegations against Igboho yesterday, the Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said there were no facts to respond to, since the Attorney-General did not mention any National Assembly member’s name.

“Did he mention the person’s name?” Basiru asked, adding that “since he has not mentioned any name, I think we should wait for him to mention the name.

“The National Assembly members from the Southwest are many. We have 18 in the Senate and over 80 in the House of Representatives.

“The allegation is weighty, but we don’t have facts to respond to.”

The Chairman of the Southwest caucus in the House of Representatives, Rep. Olufemi Fakeye, declined comments when he was contacted yesterday.

“I have no reaction to it. I have not heard about it. I am just hearing it from you now,” he said.

The spokesman of the House, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, also did not respond to a message sent to his Whatsapp line and also did not pick the calls made to his phone.

 DSS frees two remaining Igboho allies

Two allies of Igboho in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) were released yesterday, according to their lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi.

The duo, Amudat Babatunde Abibat a.k.a. Lady K and Jamiu Noah Oyetunji, were among 12 persons who were arrested when DSS operatives stormed Adeyemo’s house in Oyo State on July 1, 2021.

Adeyemo’s house had been raided on allegations of arms stockpiling, according to the Service.

Olajengbesi, in a terse statement on yesterday, said while the matter was still a subject of litigation, they would have no further comment on it for now.

Of the 12 associates of Adeyemo arrested on July 1, eight had been released on August 30 after a court order while two others were freed on September 3.

The spokesman of DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, was yet to make any comment on the matter at press time yesterday.