Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has alleged that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) killed a cat during the 2021 raid on his Ibadan residence after mistaking the animal for him.
Igboho also claimed that the operatives brought what he described as a “fake herbalist” to perform rituals in an attempt to locate him during the operation.
Speaking on Monday while hosting a delegation of Muslim clerics at his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, the activist maintained that he remained inside the house throughout the raid despite the heavy presence of security personnel.
“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.”
Recounting the operation, Igboho said DSS operatives arrived at his residence at about 1:30 a.m. and opened fire after hearing his voice.
He alleged that the operatives later scaled the perimeter fence and forced their way into the building by detonating explosives at the burglary-proof entrance.
According to him, he considered surrendering but abandoned the idea because he believed the operatives intended to kill him.
Igboho further alleged that the operatives pointed a gun at the head of his personal assistant, identified as Dudu, and ordered him to persuade him to open the door.
He also claimed that a partially blind relative was shot after security operatives allegedly mistook him for an attacker.
The activist attributed his survival to divine intervention, saying prayers offered by Muslim clerics for his safety protected him during the operation.
The DSS raided Igboho’s residence in the Soka area of Ibadan on 1 July 2021, amid escalating tensions between the Yoruba Nation campaigner and the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Following the operation, the agency said it recovered firearms, ammunition and other items from the house, arrested 13 of his associates and that two of his aides were killed during a gun battle with operatives.
Igboho has consistently rejected the DSS’s account, insisting the weapons were planted and that his aides were unlawfully killed.
Before the raid, Igboho had gained national attention after issuing an ultimatum to some Fulani residents in parts of Oyo State, accusing them of involvement in kidnapping and other violent crimes. He later intensified calls for the creation of an independent Yoruba nation, drawing the attention of federal authorities.
Following the raid, Igboho fled Nigeria but was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic, in July 2021 while attempting to travel to Germany.
A Beninese court later ordered his release after months of legal proceedings. He has since lived in self-imposed exile while continuing to campaign for the Yoruba Nation movement.
The latest claims by Igboho have not been independently verified, and the DSS has yet to respond to his allegations.
- Sunday Igboho: DSS Killed Cat Thinking It Was Me - July 29, 2026
- ADC Alleges Political Motive in El-Rufai’s Detention, Warns Against ‘Indefinite Custody’ - July 29, 2026
- ‘No Nigerian Should Go Hungry’, Says Remi Tinubu - July 29, 2026