Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on the Federal Government to publicly apologize to Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, over the invasion of his Ibadan home in 2021.

Speaking in a recent interview shared by Igboho’s media aide, Olayomi Koiki, the renowned writer and human rights advocate described the raid as “unlawful and criminal.”

Recall that on July 1, 2021, during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, a joint team of operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Army stormed Igboho’s residence in the Soka area of Ibadan.
Authorities claimed the activist was stockpiling arms and ammunition — a charge he denied.

The operation turned bloody, leading to the death of two of Igboho’s aides and the arrest of 13 others, sparking outrage across the South-West at the time.

However, Soyinka said the government owes the activist an apology rather than continued persecution.

“My advice is not so much to Igboho as it is to the government. They should stop pursuing this person as a criminal because they began by acting in a criminal fashion against him,” he said.

“If and when Igboho is brought to trial, I guarantee that the government will be very embarrassed. It is not in its interest.”

The Nobel Laureate suggested that the government should admit it made a mistake, drop all charges, and allow Igboho to return home peacefully.

“They should tell him, ‘We made a mistake; we should not have acted this way. You are no longer wanted.’ They should escort him back to his home quietly and let him resume his normal life,” Soyinka added.

He also dismissed media reports describing Igboho as being “in hiding,” explaining that the activist had only “gone underground” to protect himself and continue his mission of defending his people.

“I am not referring to the secessionist element,” Soyinka clarified. “I’m talking about what Igboho originally set out to do — to protect his people and make it clear to aggressors that they are not lords over any part of Nigeria beyond what the Constitution allows.”

Soyinka concluded that any attempt to prosecute Igboho would only embarrass the government.

“If you bring Igboho to trial, the government will end up with mud on its face,” he said.

Sunday Igboho gained national attention for his campaign against killer herdsmen in the South-West and his call for a Yoruba Nation. He later fled Nigeria after the 2021 invasion but continues to command significant support among his followers.