Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has appealed to the federal government to clear his name from its wanted list and allow his full reintegration into the country, saying he is not a criminal but a patriot concerned about the security of the South-West.
Mr Igboho made the appeal on Tuesday during a visit to the palace of the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, in Oyo State.
The visit, he said, was to seek royal support for his complete freedom and restoration of his rights.
“I am not happy that I am not free in my own fatherland,” Igboho lamented.
“I want the federal government to remove my name from the wanted list because I am not a criminal. A lot of people are threatening to kill me; I cannot sleep in my house.”
He revealed that during a recent attempt to obtain a Nigerian passport at the embassy in Germany, he was told by officials that the Nigerian government had flagged him as a wanted person.
“All I want is freedom. The security situation in the South-West is alarming and demands urgent attention,” he said.
Igboho expressed gratitude to Oba Olugbon for his unwavering support during his legal and political struggles, especially after his arrest in Benin Republic in 2021 and the subsequent court battle for his release.
“Oba Olugbon is one of the traditional rulers who stood by me, supported me, and encouraged me. I do not take that love for granted,” he said.
The activist, who gained prominence in 2020 for his vocal campaign against the killings and kidnappings by criminal herdsmen in the South-West, urged the government to strengthen the region’s security by appointing capable hands.
He said if he is not allowed to lead such efforts, he is willing to support anyone competent.
In his response, Oba Olugbon described Sunday Igboho as a courageous Yoruba son whose actions contributed to the emergence of a Yoruba man, Bola Tinubu, as the president of Nigeria.
“You are not a criminal. Your efforts played a role in the emergence of a Yoruba president,” the monarch said.
The traditional ruler called on President Tinubu to grant Igboho a full pardon and restore his civil liberties, also urging South-West governors to unite and speak with one voice on the matter.
“Enough of your time abroad, we need you back home,” Oba Alao said, promising to engage other Yoruba traditional rulers, including the Alaafin of Oyo, on the issue.
He further recommended that Igboho be considered for a leadership role in the region’s security framework, noting that he had demonstrated the capability to contribute meaningfully to the fight against insecurity.
“The federal government may have its national security plans, but for the South-West, I recommend Sunday Igboho,” Oba Olugbon declared, adding that he would send a formal letter to President Tinubu and South-West governors within 48 hours.
The monarch concluded by expressing confidence that the South-West would retain the presidency through Tinubu until 2031.
Igboho, 51, fled Nigeria in July 2021 after a raid on his Ibadan residence by the Department of State Services (DSS).
He was later arrested in Cotonou while attempting to travel to Germany and spent months in detention before regaining his freedom in 2023 under strict conditions.
His call for reintegration comes amid renewed concerns over insecurity and the marginalisation of indigenous voices in national affairs.
