Sunday Igboho, Oyo Residents Prevents Police From Arresting Tani Olohun [Video]

Yoruba Nation campaigner Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, on Tuesday intervened during an attempt by police to arrest Isese practitioner and cultural advocate Abdulazeez Adegbola, popularly called Tani Olohun, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Videos shared online showed a tense confrontation as armed men, who identified themselves as police officers, tried to take Tani Olohun into custody.

The Isese advocate resisted, leading to a struggle that attracted residents of the area.

In one of the videos, Tani Olohun was seen pinned to the ground while onlookers questioned the identity of the men carrying out the operation.

Some residents accused them of being kidnappers, despite one of the officers displaying an identification card.

A resident said, “They called themselves police officers. They are not police. They are kidnappers. They are about to kill Tani Olohun. They are bandit.”

One of the officers showed the residents his identity card, but the resident dismissed the proof, saying, “It is a lie. You are not police.”

Another video showed the armed men, dressed in civilian clothing, attempting to remove Tani Olohun from the area.

Residents expressed concern over the operation, claiming the vehicle used did not have a registration plate and calling for help.

“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 in a live video shared on Facebook.

According to reports, members of Tani Olohun’s family contacted Sunday Igboho after the situation escalated. The Yoruba activist later arrived at the scene with several supporters.

Footage shared afterwards showed Igboho speaking on the phone with a person believed to be a senior official.

During the conversation, he explained that the neighbourhood had become tense and that residents were resisting efforts to take Tani Olohun away.

“They want to cause trouble for you. The whole neighbourhood is blocked. They are fighting for religion, and the neighbours are not ready to release him,” the Yoruba activist said while talking on the phone.

Igboho then handed the phone to one of the officers after being asked to do so by the person on the call.

The attempted arrest reportedly took place at Tani Olohun’s residence while he is facing an ongoing legal case filed by the Ilorin Heritage Preservation Foundation.

The foundation accused him of posting a video on social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube and TikTok, which it claimed mocked an Islamic prayer and could trigger religious tension.

According to the group, the video attracted hostile reactions against Muslims and amounted to incitement, contempt of a religious creed and injurious falsehood.

Although the matter is currently before a court in Ilorin, it remains unclear whether the officers involved in the operation had an arrest warrant or were acting on a new court directive.

When contacted, Oyo State Police Command spokesperson DSP Ayanlade Olayinka confirmed awareness of the incident but declined to give details, saying an official statement would be released later.

After the incident, another video showed Tani Olohun speaking to supporters, thanking Yoruba people at home and abroad for their support.

Wearing torn clothes and showing signs of a struggle, he said: “To all Yoruba people, I thank you all. This morning, as I stepped out of my house, I encountered them. They attempted to kidnap me and took me away unlawfully. They restrained me.

“I thank all my people. My special thanks go to the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, and our father, the Olubadan. Thank you all.

“To every Yoruba person worldwide who called, who listened and rushed to help, I thank you. My profound gratitude goes to Governor Seyi Makinde.

“Most importantly, above all, to Chief Sunday Igboho, I thank you deeply. You are a true son of the Yoruba nation. Just as he always steps up, he did it again today.”

Tani Olohun is known for promoting Isese, the traditional Yoruba religion, and has been involved in several debates surrounding religious freedom, cultural identity and the preservation of Yoruba traditions.

Watch the video below:

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