Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has claimed that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) shot and killed a cat during a raid on his Ibadan residence in July 2021, having mistaken the animal for him.
Speaking on Monday at his Ibadan home in Oyo State while hosting a delegation of Muslim clerics, Igboho also alleged that the DSS operatives brought along a “fake herbalist” to perform rituals in a bid to locate him during the operation.
He said he remained inside the property throughout the raid, unseen by the operatives despite their search.
“I didn’t turn into a cat. They even killed it, thinking it was me,” he said.
“They even brought a fake herbalist who was making incantations. I was in the house watching them, but they didn’t see me.”
According to him, the operatives stormed his residence at around 1:30am and opened fire after hearing his voice. They later scaled the fence and forced entry into the building by detonating explosives at the burglary-proof entrance.
Igboho said he briefly considered giving himself up but ultimately decided against it, fearing the operatives would kill him on the spot.
He further alleged that the DSS pointed a gun at the head of his personal assistant, identified as Dudu, and used him to pressure Igboho into opening the door. He also claimed that a partially blind relative was shot after operatives reportedly mistook him for an attacker.
The activist attributed his escape entirely to divine intervention, saying prayers offered by Muslim clerics on his behalf helped save his life.
The DSS raid on Igboho’s home in the Soka area of Ibadan came at a time of heightened tension between the activist and the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Before the operation, Igboho had risen to national prominence after issuing an ultimatum to some Fulani residents in parts of Oyo State, accusing them of involvement in kidnapping and violent crimes. He subsequently stepped up his campaign for the creation of an independent Yoruba nation, prompting the federal government to move against him.
Following the raid, the DSS said it had recovered firearms and ammunition from the residence and arrested 13 of Igboho’s associates, adding that two of his aides were killed in an exchange of gunfire.
Igboho fled Nigeria in the aftermath and was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic, while attempting to travel to Germany. After months of legal proceedings, he was released by Beninese authorities and has since remained in self-imposed exile, continuing to champion the Yoruba Nation movement from abroad.