Socialist Party of Nigeria has described the invasion of the popular Yoruba Nation agitator, Mr. Sunday Igboho’s house as draconian and condemnable regardless of the allegation of illegal possession of arms sited against him.
SPN, in a statement jointly signed by its Acting National Chairperson and National Secretary, Abiodun Bamigboye and Chinedu Bosah, calls for a sovereign national conference that will be dominated by elected representatives of the working people and youth to determine the way forward for Nigeria.
“We of the Socialist Party of Nigeria holds that the invasion of Mr. Sunday Igboho’s house in the dead of the night by men of DSS was draconian and condemnable regardless of the allegation of illegal possession of arms levelled against him.”
“The benefits of hindsight gotten from the DSS following the invasion, arrest and detention of the followers of Mr. Sunday Igboho, obviously suggests that the DSS have not proved that they have had a competent court order to arrest or declare Mr. Sunday Igboho wanted. All what DSS are out to do is to arrest him.”
“We of the SPN faults this kind of approach and holds that at least there should have been prior attempts by DSS to invite him for interogation over the allegations after which it can then go ahead and declare him wanted if he fails to honour the invitation without any cogent reasons.”
” However, even if all of these procedures had been followed by the DSS, it’s nevertheless not enough reason for the invasion of Mr. Sunday Igboho’s house especially when the operation was carried out in the dead of the night. It is not impossible that this kind of approach could have been responsible for reported shoot out that characterized the operation between men of DSS and Sunday Igboho’s boys, hence the reported loss of two lives.” SPN said.
SPN statement, which frowned at midnight invasion of Igboho’s residence, call it a huge threat to civil rule. The party said midnight invasion was now becoming an ugly trend in the country.
“This kind of invasion by implication is no doubt a huge threat to the civil rule and the limited democratic rights it provided for the citizens. This gestapo like invasion is now becoming an ugly trend in the country including Oyo State.”
“Few days ago a small village called Ajaawa in Oyo State was equally invaded by men of DSS also in the dead of the night. It will be recalled that before this time there were several reports of custom officers invading popular Bodija and Ojaaba markets in Ibadan, broke several number of shops belonging to some operators of the markets and reportedly went aways with their goods including money under the false pretext of looking for smuggled goods.”
The party put the blame of rising agitations for self-determination and secession across the country on the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government. It said the action of the Buhari-led government and the killing of two of Igboho boys, including the arrest and continous detention of some of his followers, portrays the Buhari-led government as a regime trying to undermine other ethnic groups specifically Yoruba and Igbo in favour of Fulani ethnic group. It said government lacks moral authority to go after elements like Igboho under the guise of illegal possession of firearms when it has not been able to rein in armed bandits who kidnap people.
“It is this kind of strong arm approach by the Buhari government that further fuels the ongoing agitation for self determination and seccession ravaging the country at this present time. So, an action that is meant to repress self determination will further reinforce the agitation.”
“Already a growing number of people of Yoruba extraction have begun to draw a conclusion, from the killing of two of the Igboho boys including the arrest and continous detention of some of its followers, which portrays the Buhari-led government as a regime trying to undermine other ethnic groups specifically Yoruba and Igbo in favour of fulani ethnic group. The fact is that the government lacks moral authority to go after elements like Igboho under the guise of illegal possession of firearms when it has not been able to rein in armed bandits who kidnap people.”
“We of the SPN support the right to self determination up to secession if it is the democratic decision of any ethnic nationality. So we support the call for referendum wherever there is strident agitation for separation.”
“However, the fact is that any separation on the basis of the iniquitous capitalist system cannot bring any fundamental change in social and economic conditions of the working people and the poor.”
“We therefore call for a sovereign national conference that will be dominated by elected representatives of the working people and youth to determine the way forward for Nigeria. The socialists at such a conference will argue for a new Nigeria on a socialist basis in order not only to resolve the national question but also use the resources of the country for the benefits of the vast majority, not for satisfying the greed of a few as presently obtains.” the statement concluded.
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