“WE SHALL NOT FOLD OUR ARMS” — IGBOHO INDIGENOUS FRONTIERS DEFENDS SUNDAY IGBOHO, REJECTS ‘CRIMINAL’ LABEL

Oloye Sunday Adeyemo Igboho 

"Our Son Is a Law-Abiding Yoruba Patriot Who Has Risked His Life Defending the Vulnerable"

 

---

STATEMENT BY THE IGBOHO INDIGENOUS FRONTIERS

The Igboho Indigenous Frontiers has strongly rejected what it describes as the unwarranted and disparaging description of one of its illustrious sons, Oloye Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, as a “criminal” by counsel representing the Ilorin Heritage Preservation Foundation.

We wish to state clearly, firmly and without ambiguity that we shall not fold our arms and watch any individual, organisation or interest group deliberately tarnish the name, reputation and hard-earned image of our son without responding.

We are not issuing this statement to promote hostility, confrontation or disrespect for the law. Rather, we are speaking because we believe that public discourse, particularly when it involves serious criminal labels, must be anchored in facts, evidence, due process and the presumption of innocence.

Our position is simple: if a person is accused of a crime, let the allegation be presented before the appropriate court, let evidence be produced, let the accused be heard, and let the court determine guilt or innocence.

That is the Nigeria we believe in.

That is the justice system we defend.

And that is the standard we expect everyone, including lawyers and public-interest organisations, to uphold.

---

SUNDAY IGBOHO IS NOT ABOVE THE LAW — BUT NEITHER IS HE BELOW IT

The Igboho Indigenous Frontiers recognises that Oloye Sunday Adeyemo is a controversial and outspoken public figure whose activities and political positions may attract disagreement.

But disagreement is not conviction.

An allegation is not a conviction.

An arrest is not a conviction.

A court proceeding is not a conviction.

And an accusation made by an individual, however prominent or professionally qualified that individual may be, does not by itself transform another Nigerian into a convicted criminal.

Nigeria’s Constitution provides under Section 36(5) that a person charged with a criminal offence is presumed innocent until proved guilty.

Therefore, the Igboho Indigenous Frontiers asks a fundamental question:

By what judicial pronouncement has Oloye Sunday Igboho been convicted of a criminal offence that now makes it appropriate to publicly describe him simply as a “criminal”?

If there is such a judgment, let it be produced.

If there is such a conviction, let Nigerians see it.

If there is none, then we believe responsible public discourse demands restraint.

The recent report from Business Hallmark states that counsel for the Ilorin Heritage Preservation Foundation described Tani Olohun and Sunday Igboho as “criminals” during proceedings arising from the controversy surrounding an attempted arrest of Tani Olohun in Ibadan. The lawyer reportedly accused them of obstructing the execution of a warrant and alleged that they breached a court order.

Those are serious allegations.

But allegations remain allegations until established through due process.

---

WE WILL NOT CONFUSE ALLEGATION WITH CONVICTION

The Igboho Indigenous Frontiers does not claim that Sunday Igboho is incapable of making mistakes.

We do not claim that he is beyond investigation.

We do not claim that he is beyond the jurisdiction of the courts.

We do not claim that any person, including Sunday Igboho, has a licence to obstruct lawful police duties or disobey a valid court order.

Our argument is much more fundamental:

Let the law speak.

If Sunday Igboho is alleged to have committed an offence, the appropriate authorities should investigate him.

If evidence exists, he should be charged before the appropriate court.

If the prosecution establishes the case beyond the applicable legal standard, the court should pronounce judgment.

But until then, branding him a “criminal” as though guilt has already been judicially established is a matter that should concern every Nigerian who values the rule of law.

---

THE RECORD ALSO SHOWS THAT SUNDAY IGBOHO HAS HIMSELF SOUGHT JUSTICE THROUGH THE COURTS

It is important to remember that Sunday Igboho is not a stranger to legal processes.

Following the 2021 raid on his Ibadan residence, he instituted a fundamental-rights action against the Federal Government and the Department of State Services.

The Oyo State High Court initially ruled in his favour and awarded damages, although that judgment was subsequently overturned by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal’s decision therefore must also be acknowledged honestly; the earlier N20 billion award was set aside.

This history demonstrates something important:

Sunday Igboho has used the courts to pursue his grievances.

He has challenged government action through legal processes.

He has appeared in legal proceedings.

And he has subjected himself to judicial processes.

His 2021 detention in Benin Republic also eventually became the subject of proceedings before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice. In its December 5, 2023 judgment, the ECOWAS Court found violations of his rights to freedom of movement and protection from arbitrary arrest.

Whatever one's political opinion of Sunday Igboho may be, these are matters that belong to the public record.

---

WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO PROTECT?

This is where the Igboho Indigenous Frontiers believes the current controversy deserves a broader examination.

Before some people began discussing Sunday Igboho primarily through the lens of the present dispute, communities across parts of the South-West had been dealing with the frightening realities of kidnapping, banditry, attacks and displacement.

In response, Igboho established the Iru Ekun Security Network, which he has presented as an initiative intended to complement government and conventional security agencies in combating kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.

TheCable reported in July 2026 that Igboho launched the Iru Ekun Security Network in Ilorin and said the organisation would work alongside conventional security agencies to tackle insecurity.

More significantly, reports from Kwara indicated that traditional rulers affected by insecurity had sought the involvement of Iru Ekun.

The Nation reported that about 20 traditional rulers in Kwara South who had fled their communities following repeated attacks had engaged Iru Ekun to assist in confronting insecurity and enabling displaced communities to return.

That development deserves serious reflection.

If communities threatened by terrorists and bandits are seeking assistance from an organisation associated with Sunday Igboho, should the conversation about the man begin and end with calling him a “criminal”?

We think not.

---

WHEN A MAN WALKS TOWARDS DANGER WHILE OTHERS WALK AWAY

The Igboho Indigenous Frontiers is particularly proud of the courage displayed by Sunday Igboho and members of his security network in confronting insecurity.

In July 2026, The PUNCH reported that Iru Ekun operatives assisted in the rescue of a woman and her son who had been kidnapped in the Igbope axis of Oyo State and taken into Kwara State. The report said the operation involved collaboration with the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force.

Premium Times also reported that Iru Ekun operatives had faced an attack during a surveillance operation in the Old Oyo National Park while pursuing suspected criminal elements.

These reports do not make Sunday Igboho infallible.

They do, however, demonstrate that his security activities are not merely social-media rhetoric.

People have volunteered.

Communities have sought assistance.

Operatives have entered difficult environments.

And some have reportedly faced danger in the course of those activities.

That reality should not be erased simply because people disagree with Sunday Igboho politically or ideologically.

---

AND WHAT OF KWARA?

We find it particularly difficult to understand the apparent hostility towards a man whose security initiative has recently extended into Kwara State at a time when parts of the state have been battling serious insecurity.

Reports have documented the displacement of traditional rulers and residents from parts of Kwara South following attacks by terrorists and bandits. The engagement of Iru Ekun by affected traditional rulers was publicly reported in July.

That should provoke a very serious question:

When people are driven from their ancestral homes by fear, kidnapping and terrorism, should every person who volunteers to help restore their confidence automatically be treated with suspicion?

Our answer is no.

Security is too serious for ethnic rivalry.

Security is too important for religious antagonism.

Security is too sensitive to become a battlefield for personal egos.

What the people need is safety.

---

THE TANI OLOHUN MATTER: LET THE COURT DECIDE

The Igboho Indigenous Frontiers is equally aware that the current controversy arose from the dispute involving Abdulazeez Adegbola, popularly known as Tani Olohun, and the Ilorin Heritage Preservation Foundation.

The Oyo State Police Command said officers from Kwara were in Ibadan to execute a warrant issued by the Upper Ilorin Magistrates’ Court in relation to allegations bordering on conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace. The command subsequently directed the officers to return to their base and advised the complainant to approach the appropriate court in Ibadan, citing due process and territorial jurisdiction.

That statement from the police itself demonstrates why this matter should be left within the framework of the law.

There are questions to be determined.

There are competing accounts.

There are allegations.

There are legal processes.

Therefore, let the courts determine the facts.

The proper response to a disputed legal matter is not to pre-judge the accused.

It is to allow the judicial process to work.

---

A LAWYER'S WORDS CARRY WEIGHT — AND THAT IS WHY THEY MUST BE USED CAREFULLY

We recognise the important role lawyers play in society.

A lawyer is an officer of the court.

A lawyer has a right — and sometimes a duty — to represent a client vigorously.

But precisely because legal practitioners command public respect, words used by counsel in public should be weighed carefully.

Calling someone a “criminal” is not merely an ordinary disagreement.

It carries a very serious meaning in the public consciousness.

It can damage reputation.

It can stigmatise families.

It can influence public perception.

And where the underlying matter remains before a court, such language can potentially prejudge issues that the judicial process exists to determine.

Nigerian law also recognises the seriousness of defamatory publications while providing defences such as truth, fair comment and certain forms of privilege. Section 379 of the Criminal Code, for example, recognises circumstances involving fair comment and other conditionally privileged publications.

We therefore urge everyone involved to choose words carefully.

Criticise conduct if you must.

Challenge an allegation if you must.

Defend your client if you must.

Ask the police to investigate if you believe an offence has occurred.

But allow the court to determine who is guilty and who is innocent.

---

OUR SON MAY BE OUTSPOKEN, BUT HE IS ALSO A MAN WHO HAS STOOD UP

The people of Igboho know the personality of Sunday Igboho.

He is outspoken.

He is fearless.

He is stubborn when he believes an injustice is being committed.

He has never pretended to be a conventional politician.

He has often taken positions that have generated controversy.

But those characteristics do not automatically make him a criminal.

Indeed, his supporters regard his willingness to confront oppression, injustice and insecurity as part of the reason he commands such loyalty among many Yoruba people.

The man who dislikes seeing the weak bullied will naturally find himself in confrontations.

The man who walks into troubled communities will naturally attract criticism.

The man who speaks loudly against what he considers injustice will naturally create enemies.

But history has repeatedly taught us that courageous men are not always comfortable men.

---

WE ASK ILORIN HERITAGE: WHY NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOOD TOO?

The Igboho Indigenous Frontiers asks the Ilorin Heritage Preservation Foundation and its representatives a simple question:

If Sunday Igboho and Iru Ekun are genuinely contributing to the fight against insecurity in communities around Kwara, why should the first instinct be condemnation rather than recognition of whatever good has been done?

Why not say:

“We disagree with Sunday Igboho on certain issues, but we appreciate every legitimate effort to protect innocent people from bandits and kidnappers”?

That would be leadership.

That would be maturity.

That would be statesmanship.

Nobody is asking anyone to surrender their principles.

Nobody is asking anyone to endorse Yoruba Nation agitation.

Nobody is asking anyone to agree with every statement Sunday Igboho has ever made.

We are simply asking that his actions be judged fairly and his rights respected.

---

WE ARE NOT CALLING FOR CONFRONTATION — WE ARE CALLING FOR RESPONSIBILITY

Let it be clearly understood:

The Igboho Indigenous Frontiers does not support violence.

We do not support attacks against lawyers.

We do not support threats against the Ilorin Heritage Preservation Foundation.

We do not support disobedience to lawful court orders.

We do not support vigilantism.

We do not support anyone taking the law into his own hands.

Our position is exactly the opposite.

We support the rule of law.

And because we support the rule of law, we insist that the rule of law must apply to everyone — including our son, his critics, his accusers and those defending him.

If Sunday Igboho is accused, let him answer.

If there is evidence against him, let it be presented.

If there is a case, let the court hear it.

If he is guilty, let the law take its course.

But if he is not guilty, let no one manufacture a conviction through television interviews, social media statements, press releases or inflammatory descriptions.

---

IGBOHO WILL NOT APOLOGISE FOR PRODUCING COURAGEOUS SONS AND DAUGHTERS

The name Igboho has never represented cowardice.

Our town has produced men and women who have stood firmly for what they believe.

Sunday Adeyemo is one of the sons of Igboho whose life and public activities have attracted national attention.

Whether one agrees with him or not, it cannot be denied that he has become an influential voice in Yoruba affairs and community security discussions.

His Iru Ekun initiative has now attracted attention beyond Oyo State, including in Kwara, while traditional rulers and communities affected by insecurity have been reported to seek its assistance.

That development deserves scrutiny, regulation and accountability where necessary — not character assassination.

---

OUR MESSAGE TO SUNDAY IGBOHO

To our son, Oloye Sunday Adeyemo:

Igboho sees you.

We see the battles.

We see the criticism.

We see the risks.

We see the sacrifices.

We see the enemies you have made by refusing to remain silent.

We also see the controversies surrounding you.

But we urge you to continue to respect the law, respect constituted authority, cooperate with legitimate security institutions and allow your lawyers to handle legal disputes through the courts.

Do not give your opponents unnecessary ammunition.

Let your actions speak.

Let your record speak.

Let the courts speak.

Let history speak.

---

OUR FINAL MESSAGE: WE SHALL NOT FOLD OUR ARMS

The Igboho Indigenous Frontiers therefore declares:

We shall not fold our arms and watch anyone unjustly destroy the reputation of our illustrious son.

We shall defend him with facts.

We shall defend him with history.

We shall defend him with the Constitution.

We shall defend him through lawful and peaceful means.

And where accusations are made, we shall demand evidence.

We shall not answer provocation with violence.

We shall not answer insults with insults.

We shall not encourage lawlessness.

But neither shall we remain silent when the name of an Igboho son is publicly dragged through the mud without a corresponding judicial finding.

Sunday Igboho is not above the law.

But neither is he beneath the protection of the law.

That distinction is fundamental.

And that is why we call on all parties in the Ilorin–Ibadan controversy to lower the temperature, allow the courts to work, respect due process and refrain from inflammatory labels that could deepen an already sensitive dispute.

Let the truth prevail.

Let justice prevail.

Let peace prevail.

And above all, let no Nigerian be pronounced guilty before the court of law has spoken.

Signed:

IGBOHO INDIGENOUS FRONTIERS

For and on behalf of concerned sons and daughters of Igboho.

⚠️ Post Disclaimer

All rights reserved. This material and other digital content on this website are not and do not represent the official stance of Ayekooto Media, but the statements, claims, and opinions of the newsmakers and guest writers mentioned therein.

For your detailed news reportage and inquiries, contact the Editor at Phunshor01@gmail.com.

David Alani Ige (The Scribe)

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Ayekooto Media

David Alani Ige is a seasoned journalist, strategic analyst, and the visionary publisher of Ayekooto Media. With a relentless commitment to archiving Nigeria's political realities and delivering the unvarnished truth, he has built a formidable platform for deep-dive reportage and editorial excellence. He is widely known by his readers and peers as "The Scribe".