By Ali Elias
IBADAN — Yoruba Nation agitator and activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has threatened to publicly identify politicians he alleged are sponsoring criminal gangs responsible for a wave of kidnappings and insecurity in Oyo State, including the recent abduction of dozens of schoolchildren in Oriire Local Government Area.
Igboho made the allegations while receiving the newly elected leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), led by Akinteye Bàbàtunde, at his residence in the Soka area of Ibadan.
In a video of the meeting that has since gone viral on social media, the activist claimed he possessed information on political figures allegedly backing criminal elements operating in parts of the South-West and warned that he would reveal their identities if the attacks continued.
“I know the politicians behind them, and if they do not stop perpetrating their evil acts, I will mention them all. I know them,” Igboho declared.
“The politicians behind them are the ones giving them ammunition and money.”
The activist, who rose to national prominence through his campaign against criminal activities in parts of the South-West, also alleged that he volunteered to lead efforts to rescue the abducted pupils but was prevented from doing so by the Oyo State Government.
“If I am permitted to burst into the hideouts, they will flee. They are neither gnomes nor mannequins; they are humans, so that they could be dislodged,” he said.
“Suppose the recent abduction is not a game. In Oyo, they made away with children. I volunteered to go, but the state government said ‘No.’”
According to him, state authorities later informed him that the kidnappers had threatened to kill the hostages if he attempted to intervene.
“Later, they informed me that the kidnappers said if I try to force myself to come rescue the children, they will kill them all,” he stated.
“If they are serious about rescuing the victims, they should tell my boys and me to chase them out of the forests in our regions and see if those people will remain there even with their bombs and sophisticated weapons.”
The controversy comes in the wake of the May 15 attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, during which scores of pupils and teachers were reportedly abducted by armed assailants.
The affected institutions included Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and L.A. Primary School.
The incident sparked widespread outrage across Oyo State and renewed concerns over the growing reach of kidnapping networks into rural communities and educational institutions.
Security agencies subsequently launched operations around forest corridors linking Oriire communities to the Old Oyo National Park axis, believed to be possible escape routes used by the attackers.
The situation worsened after reports emerged that one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, had been killed by his captors.
A video that circulated online allegedly showed the teacher tied up before being beheaded, a development that further heightened public anxiety and calls for stronger security measures.
Reacting to the incident, Igboho renewed his call for the deployment of his proposed security outfit, the Iru Ekun Security Network, which he said was designed to assist in combating criminal activities across the South-West.
“After I arranged Iru Ekun Security Network, the Federal Government permitted me, but the state government said no security must take a step behind them,” he claimed.
“Do we have to wait for him to flood the forests to rescue these children?”
The activist insisted that his intervention was motivated by concern for the victims and not personal interest.
“I’m just concerned about these abductees,” he said. “Nobody can kidnap me, not even my family, because they are spread across Canada and Germany. Why should I fret?”
Beyond the security concerns, Igboho linked the wave of insecurity to what he described as political efforts to undermine the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The same thing they did to Jonathan is what they are doing to Tinubu. They want to make the country ungovernable for him,” he alleged.
“They even have fake news propaganda to scare the masses and divert supporters away from the President.”
Continuing, he questioned why certain political actors were allegedly determined to frustrate Tinubu’s administration.
“Despite how bad Buhari’s administration is, he completed his tenure. Why are they trying to stop a Yoruba man — Tinubu — from completing his?” he asked.
“It was Tinubu who freed me when I was in exile. Why should I tackle him? And why are they trying to ruin his government?”
The Oyo State Government had not publicly responded to the latest allegations as of press time.
Igboho, however, indicated his readiness to comply with the Executive Order recently issued by Governor Seyi Makinde regulating the operations of private security organisations in the state, while maintaining that local security initiatives remain essential in tackling insecurity across the region.
The latest remarks are likely to intensify public debate over the role of community-based security networks, the challenge of kidnapping in the South-West and allegations of political complicity in criminal activities—claims that, if substantiated, could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s security architecture.