(DDM) – The Yoruba socio-cultural group, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu for allegedly using state machinery against peaceful protesters demanding the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the Union described it as “shameful and disappointing” that a president who once benefited from activism would now allegedly target genuine activists, particularly human rights advocate Omoyele Sowore.
In a statement signed by the Union’s Convener, Olusola Badero, and Home Director, Princess Balogun, the group accused security operatives of firing live bullets and tear gas at peaceful demonstrators during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja.
The Union claimed that Sowore was specifically targeted for his persistent criticism of government actions, including the continued detention of Kanu despite court orders.
“Our attention has been drawn to the violent attack during the protest, where Nigerian security agencies opened live fire on peaceful demonstrators.
It was clear that Sowore was a primary target,” the statement read.
The Yoruba Union praised Sowore as a “hero of democracy and justice,” noting his unwavering commitment to truth and the oppressed, regardless of ethnicity or religion.
The group argued that it is unacceptable for a government led by a Yoruba man to allegedly use state forces against a fellow Yoruba son advocating for justice.
The Union further criticized the administration for selectively obeying court rulings, highlighting the continued detention of Kanu despite Supreme Court judgments ordering his release. “If the court has discharged and acquitted Nnamdi Kanu, why is he still in detention?
A government that claims to uphold the rule of law should not cherry-pick which court orders to obey,” the statement added.
Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá warned that any harm to Sowore would be met with strong resistance from Yoruba citizens and could trigger international condemnation.
The group announced plans to petition the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and United Nations to investigate what it described as “state-sponsored persecution” of activists in Nigeria.
The statement concluded, “With the orchestrated violence witnessed in Abuja, Tinubu has shown he does not deserve the seat of the presidency.
His government has become a symbol of oppression, and Nigerians must resist any attempt to silence voices of freedom and justice.”
The Union emphasized that Nigerians, especially the Yoruba people, will not tolerate injustice or tyranny and called for robust domestic and international pressure to safeguard human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria.
