Former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, has advised the federal government to handle the case of Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu with caution.
Ladoja, who spoke during a press briefing at his Bodija, Ibadan residence, advocated the need for the Federal Government to grant the duo of Kanu and Adeyemo amnesty, just as it granted over 1000 arrested members of Boko Haram pardon recently.
He noted that arresting the two people would not put an end to the agitations across the country, saying the Federal Government left room for the agitations championed by Kanu and Adeyemo.
According him, the agitations were as a result of Federal Government not doing enough in tackling insecurity in the southern region of the country.
He said, “I want to appeal to the federal government to grant Igboho and Kanu amnesty just as some members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect were given amnesty. Igboho and Kanu are creations of the federal government. Why? Because whenever they arrested herdsmen who were killing their people, the federal government never acted. That was why those two people came up to defend their people.
“Boko Haram members that were arrested a year ago by the government have been released to the Borno State Government. The Federal Government created Sunday Igboho in the context of Igangan massacre.
“People are agitating for what they believe in; they should be treated with care, and not as criminals. Yoruba leaders including the Alaafin of Oyo have been complaining about atrocities committed by Fulani herdsmen without response from the federal government.
“An order came from above to release them and that is why the people resorted to self-help. It was in the process that Igboho’s agitation was created due to the killings that had been happening in the Ibarapa area and nobody was arrested. Even if they were arrested, they will be released.
“Arrest of Igboho will not change anything if government failed to do the needful, many Igboho will be created. Just like Kanu has become an acclaimed leader, and to some people, Igboho has also become a leader.
“If caution is not taken by the federal government, the issue might boomerang leading to many Igbohos and Kanus.”
