FG says it uncovers Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho’s financiers
Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister Of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has revealed that the Federal Government has uncovered the sponsors of Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho.
Malami who made the disclosure at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, stressed that Igboho was being sponsored by a Member of the National Assembly.
Without mentioning any name, Malami said the major financier of the Yoruba nation agitator was a lawmaker.
The minister further explained that a committee set up by the Federal Government unraveled how Igboho got monies from 43 bank accounts, across nine banks.
“The Federal Government has received the report on financiers of Adeniyi Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho. The report revealed that Sunday Igboho is a Director and signatory to Adesun International Concept Limited registered on 23rd April, 2010.
“Adesun International Concept Limited also has Oladele Oyetunji and Aderopo Adeyemo as Directors. Sunday Igboho is linked to 43 bank accounts in nine banks.
“The major financier of the fugitive and separatists was found to be a federal lawmaker in the National Assembly. A total sum of one hundred and twenty-seven million, one hundredy forty-five thousand Naira only (N127, 145,000.00) was received by Igboho from his financiers between 22nd October, 2013 and 28th September, 2020 through Adesun International Concept Ltd accounts.
“A total sum of two hundred and seventy-three million, one hundred and ninety-eight thousand, two hundred Naira only (N273,198,200.00) transaction outflows was recorded from Sunday Igboho’s account between 15th March, 2013 and 11 the March, 2021.
“Investigation reveals that Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) transferred the sum of twelve million, seven hundred and fifty thousand Naira (N12,750,000) to Abbal Bako & Sons.
“It might be recalled that Abbal Bako & Sons and its promoter Abdullahi Umar Usman are suspects in the on-going Joint Terrorist Financing Investigation. Abdullahi Umar Usman is by way of financial transaction connected to Surajo Abubakar Muhammad (who was sentenced to life imprisonment in UAE on charges of financing terrorism (Boko Haram).
“This report shows the nexus between separatists’ agitation, terrorism financing and disruptions of peace in the country.
“The report found connections of financial transaction between Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) and some construction companies and businesses among others,” Malami stated.
Periscope International recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had during his 61st Independence anniversary speech, said that some members of the National Assembly were sponsoring agitators.
However, Yoruba Nation arrowhead, Prof Banji Akintoye, reacting to Malami’s claim linking Igboho to Boko Haram terrorists who were arrested and jailed in the UAE, accused the AGF of being shallow and inconsistent with his accusations heaped on Igboho.
The octogenarian said it was shallow of the AGF to link a so-called transaction in 2013 to the struggle for self-determination which began in 2020.
In a statement on Friday by his spokesman, Maxwell Adeleye, the 86-year-old scholar and historian, said Malami’s accusation was “coined to tarnish a noble and constitutional struggle of the Yoruba people.”
The leader of the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination group, Ilana Omo Oodua, said the AGF’s statement linking Ighoho and some indicted sponsors of terrorism “is empty, watery, cruel and irresponsible, stating that the Nigerian government is just chasing shadows and attempting to bully the struggle for self-determination of the Yoruba people out of relevance.”
“We have read the statement credited to Mr Abubakar Malami, on behalf of the Nigerian Government. Our preliminary position is that having been defeated legally and morally, the government of Nigeria is now chasing shadows, bullying the truth, and making an inconsistent attempt to tarnish a noble struggle of the Yoruba people,” he said.
Similarly, the Coordinating counsel for Igboho, Olasupo Ojo, also described the allegation by Malami as unreasonable.
Reacting, Ojo told The Punch, “Igboho buys cars from Dubai, Germany, from the United States and other places. He has to pay or is he going to be asking from the person who sells cars to say, ‘Are you a terrorist?’ It is very stupid.
“All those who have been exposed as sponsors of terrorism, have they been arrested? Nobody has been charged to court. So, they are just ranting by all means, trying to look for a charge to hang him with.
“We are challenging them to come out with the details, publish it and we will defend it totally.
“Everybody knows Sunday Igboho is a businessman; he imports and sells cars to legislators, to politicians and others.
“So, the money that was given to him is for what purpose. They (government) should ask the owners of the accounts; have they interviewed them and they said the money they gave to Igboho was for terrorism or the vehicle that they purchased from Sunday Igboho? It is baseless and unreasonable for the government to conclude just like that.
“The allegation is defamatory of the character of Chief Sunday Igboho and we are going to sue them for defamation of character, we will sue them.”
