Momodu, in his reaction to the incident on Twitter, said the government knew the whereabouts of bandits in the forests but failed to go after them.
Media mogul and businessman, Chief Dele Momodu, has lambasted the Nigerian government for abandoning the critical issues of banditry, and kidnapping and instead, terrorising Yoruba agitator and activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, otherwise known as Sunday Igboho.
Momodu, in his reaction to the incident on Twitter, said the government knew the whereabouts of bandits in the forests but failed to go after them, but wanted to terrorise a “man who lives in his own beautiful home.”
He said, “Why this harassment of CHIEF SUNDAY IGBOHO by agents of a government that knows the whereabouts of bandits who live inside remote forests and won't go near them but have the temerity and shamelessness to terrorise a man who lives in his own beautiful home in Ibadan city!!!”
Earlier on Friday around 2pm, a team of policemen, soldiers and Department of State Services’ operatives had attempted on Friday to arrest Igboho, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The arrest, which resulted in pandemonium in the area, was unsuccessful as angry youths and supporters of Igboho resisted the security operatives.
Earlier, a former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, had also tweeted about the incident, saying, “I just spoke to my brother Sunday Igboho. He told me there was a violent attempt to arrest him this afternoon by a joint team of soldiers, DSS operatives & policemen numbering about 40 on the Ibadan/Lagos Expressway whilst he was on his way to see Baba Ayo Adebanjo in Lagos.
“I condemn this attempt to ambush& abduct him. It is not only reckless but also very dangerous. If the security agencies want to see him all they need to do is to invite him to their office. I am not aware of any crime that he has committed & I urge restraint on all sides.
“Let me also send a warning to the FG that Sunday Igboho is a hero to millions of Yorubas & either killing him or detaining him unlawfully would be the biggest mistake they could make. Building bridges, dialogue& peace is better than violence & war. A word is enough for the wise.”
Igboho had in January given Fulani herdsmen in Ibarapa area of Oyo State seven days to vacate the area, blaming the leadership of the Fulani for being behind the rising insecurity in the state.