Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, intervened on Tuesday to prevent police officers from arresting Abdulazeez Adegbola, better known as Tani Olohun, an advocate of Isese, the indigenous Yoruba faith, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Videos circulating online and posted on Tani Olohun’s Facebook page showed a scuffle as the officers attempted to take the Isese adherent away, with him resisting the arrest.
In one video, a resident filmed the moment Tani Olohun was pinned to the ground by an officer, while others stood nearby.
The resident could be heard saying, “They called themselves police officers. They are not police. They are kidnappers. They are about to kill Tani Olohun. They are bandits.”
One of the officers showed the resident his identity card, but the resident dismissed the proof, saying, “It is a lie. You are not police.”
In another live video shared on Facebook, the men who appeared to be dressed in civilian clothes and carrying firearms were seen attempting to take Tani Olohun away.
“These people are kidnappers, but they called themselves police. Their vehicle did not have a plate number.
“Please help us; they want to carry Tani Olohun away. They want to arrest him. They want to kill him,” a resident said during the broadcast.
It was learned that members of his family subsequently contacted Igboho, who arrived at the scene with some supporters.
Subsequent videos on Tani Olohun’s page showed Igboho, surrounded by supporters, speaking to an alleged senior official on the phone.
“They want to cause trouble for you. The whole neighborhood is blocked. They are fighting for religion, and the neighbors are not ready to release him,” the Yoruba activist said while talking on the phone.
He told the official that there were four officers on the ground.
Igboho later handed the phone to one of the officers at the official’s request.
PUNCH Online learned that the arrest attempt occurred at Tani Olohun’s residence amid an ongoing criminal case filed against him by the Ilorin Heritage Preservation Foundation over a social media video that the foundation alleged mocked an Islamic prayer and could cause religious tension.
