Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has clarified that his advocacy for improved security in the South-West and other parts of Nigeria is directed at criminal elements and not any particular ethnic group.
Igboho made the clarification while responding to a call by the Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria, which urged President Bola Tinubu and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to caution him over comments he recently made concerning insecurity in the region.
In a statement issued on Monday through his spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, the activist described the group’s position as a misrepresentation of his long-standing campaign against criminality.
According to him, efforts to portray his security advocacy as ethnic profiling were misplaced and served only to divert attention from the growing threats posed by kidnapping, banditry, rape, killings and other violent crimes affecting communities across the country.
“It is obvious that since my agitation for improved security in the South-West and other parts of the country, I have never declared war against any ethnic group but have consistently voiced my position against criminal elements responsible for kidnapping, vicious killings, rape and violent attacks across Yoruba communities,” the statement said.
Igboho maintained that his concern has always centred on protecting lives and ensuring justice for victims of violent crimes.
“Our concern and primary focus have always been the protection of innocent lives and the preservation of peace, security and justice,” he stated.
The activist described the call for the government to caution him as “myopic, uninformed and ridiculous,” insisting that criminality should not be viewed through an ethnic lens.
He stressed that criminals must be identified, arrested and prosecuted regardless of their ethnic, religious or political affiliations.
“We will never advocate hatred against any ethnic group. Our position has always been very clear: criminals should be identified, arrested and prosecuted by the law enforcement agencies regardless of their ethnic, religious and political inclinations because crime has no colour or race,” he said.
Igboho further argued that reactions to security breaches in the South-West should not be interpreted as attacks on any ethnic nationality.
“It is absolutely wrong and misleading to portray our reaction to security breaches in the South-West as ethnic profiling when the rights to life, freedom and economic livelihoods of our people are being threatened by mindless hoodlums who are obsessed with gruesome killings and kidnapping of innocent people in rural communities,” he added.
Describing insecurity as a national challenge, Igboho called for collective efforts involving citizens, communities and security agencies to combat criminal activities across the country.
He also commended security agencies for intensifying operations against criminal networks in the South-West and beyond.
“I want to specifically commend the noble efforts of the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, and heads of other security agencies for their sustained onslaught against criminals in the South-West and other parts of the nation,” he said.
The activist pledged continued cooperation with security agencies in lawful efforts aimed at protecting lives and property, stressing that ensuring public safety should not be left solely to government institutions.
He urged groups criticising his position to focus instead on supporting measures that would strengthen the fight against kidnapping, banditry and other forms of violent crime.
According to him, Nigeria can only overcome its security challenges through unity, effective law enforcement and a collective determination to confront criminality wherever it occurs.
Igboho reiterated that criminals should be treated as criminals and prosecuted according to the law, irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.