- Igboho claimed DSS operatives failed to find him during the 2021 raid on his Ibadan home
- He alleged officers mistook a cat for him and brought in a fake herbalist during the operation
- The activist attributed his escape to divine intervention and prayers by Muslim clerics
Yoruba Nation campaigner Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has narrated how he allegedly escaped arrest during the Department of State Services (DSS) raid on his Ibadan residence in July 2021.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that he made the statement while receiving a delegation of Muslim clerics at his home in Ibadan, Oyo State, Igboho claimed security operatives searched the premises extensively but failed to find him despite surrounding the property.
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He further alleged that the operatives mistook a cat for him and invited a man he described as a fake herbalist to perform rituals during the operation.
Recounting the incident, Igboho said the operatives arrived at about 1:30 a.m. and opened fire after hearing his voice from inside the house.
According to him, they later forced their way into the building after using explosives to destroy parts of the security barriers.
He said he hurriedly dressed after hearing the commotion, adding that while he briefly considered surrendering, he believed doing so could have cost him his life.
Igboho claimed he eventually shouted at the operatives, demanding to know why they had invaded his residence, alleging they continued shooting in his direction without first seeing him.
He also alleged that officers threatened his personal assistant, identified as Dudu, by pointing a gun at his head and ordering him to persuade him to open the door.
According to the activist, the assistant pleaded with him while the operatives forced their way into the building, making him suspect something was wrong.
Igboho dismissed reports that he sustained gunshot injuries during his escape, describing such accounts as false.
He also denied widespread claims that he transformed into a cat to evade arrest, insisting that security operatives killed the animal after allegedly mistaking it for him.
According to him, a man presented as a herbalist was brought to the scene to perform incantations, but the operatives still failed to locate him.
The activist further alleged that a partially sighted relative was shot after security personnel mistakenly believed he posed a threat.
He claimed the bodies of those killed during the operation were taken away by the operatives as evidence of the raid.
Igboho attributed his escape to divine intervention and prayers previously offered for him by Muslim clerics following what he described as a warning about impending danger.
The DSS carried out the raid on Igboho’s Soka residence in Ibadan on July 1, 2021, during heightened tensions between the activist and the Federal Government.
Before the operation, Igboho had attracted national attention after issuing an ultimatum to some Fulani residents in parts of Oyo State, accusing criminal elements among them of involvement in kidnapping and other violent crimes. He later intensified his campaign for the creation of an independent Yoruba Nation.
Following the raid, the DSS announced that it recovered firearms and ammunition from the residence and arrested 13 of Igboho’s associates. The agency also said two of his aides were killed during what it described as an exchange of gunfire.
Igboho later fled Nigeria but was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic, while reportedly attempting to travel to Germany. After several months of legal proceedings, he was released by Beninese authorities and has since continued to campaign for the Yoruba Nation movement.
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