Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has said the Federal Government should brand herdsmen who plunder people’s farm, kill farmers and rape women as criminals and not Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho.
Soyinka spoke on Friday while briefing newsmen at the Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Lagos.
He blasted the Department of State Services, DSS, for not only raiding the house of Igboho, but also criminalizing his actions, which according to him were his fundamental human right and devoid of anything criminal.
Soyinka said Igboho acted within the ambit of the law, since the protests and demonstrations he organized were peaceful and non-violent.
Igboho’s actions, he said, were predicated on the failure of governance and the inability of the State to protect his people.
“I refused to accept that Igboho is being chased because he peacefully demonstrated his position vis-a-vis the destiny of this nation, which is a fundamental human right of any body. Somebody calls for secession, calls for a separate state, I don’t consider that, and nowhere does it deserve to be called a criminal act.
“As long as it is done peacefully, collectively, within the ambit of the law, you don’t now criminalize that action.
“And in addition, commit criminal acts against such an individual, which is what the government, the security forces did by raiding Igboho’s home in the middle of the night, killing two of his own people, then claiming, without a warrant or anything, they found weapons in his home.”
