Igboho, Iru Èkùn: Act Now Before Parallel Authority Emerges — Agunbiade

‘No individual, group should be above law’

A member of Al-Rabwa Islamic Propagation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade, has called on the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently investigate the reported confrontation involving Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Igboho, members of Iru Èkùn and the attempted arrest of Tani Olohun.

Agunbiade warned that Nigeria must not wait until resistance to state authority becomes entrenched before taking action, stressing that the rule of law must remain supreme.

He made the call in a statement issued on Sunday, titled, “Before the Leopard’s Tail Metamorphoses into the Leopard: Igboho, Iru Èkùn and Tani Olohun: Why Nigerians Must Speak Before Parallel Authority Takes Root.”

According to him, the reported incident raises a fundamental question: whether a private group should be allowed to prevent the police from executing a lawful court order simply because its members disagree with an arrest.

He said the issue should concern all Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic, religious or political affiliations.

“This is not about whether Igboho is popular or unpopular. It is not about whether Tani Olohun is guilty or innocent. Every accused person deserves due process and a fair hearing.

“But due process also means allowing lawful institutions to perform their duties,” Agunbiade stated.

He advised anyone who believes that an arrest warrant is defective to challenge it in court, while those who believe the police have acted unlawfully should seek redress through the appropriate legal channels.

“If a warrant is defective, challenge it in court. If the police act unlawfully, seek redress through the courts. If an allegation is false, defend it before the appropriate authority,” he said.

Agunbiade warned that the use of organised groups to obstruct law enforcement could gradually undermine state institutions and create what he described as “parallel authority.”

He said dangerous developments often begin with genuine grievances and popular movements, but could eventually evolve into situations where loyalty to a group becomes stronger than respect for established institutions.

“A movement may begin with genuine grievances. A popular leader emerges. Followers rally around him. With time, loyalty may become stronger than respect for institutions.

“Eventually, the group may begin to determine which laws it will obey and which government officers it will recognise. That is where the danger lies,” he said.

However, Agunbiade was careful to distinguish his concerns from any allegation that Iru Èkùn or Igboho was associated with terrorism.

“Let me be clear: I am not saying that Iru Èkùn is Boko Haram, nor that Igboho or its members are destined to become Boko Haram. Such a claim would be irresponsible,” he said.

He argued that Nigeria should nevertheless learn from the evolution of violent extremism in the country, particularly the emergence of Boko Haram, by addressing early signs of the erosion of respect for lawful state authority.

According to him, the country should not wait until a group becomes powerful enough to challenge the authority of the state before responding.

“If a group can stop an arrest today, what happens tomorrow when another group decides to stop an investigation, resist a court order or establish its own rules of enforcement?

“That is how parallel authority takes root,” he warned.

Agunbiade also called for equal application of the law, stressing that no individual should be above the law because of his popularity, political influence or social standing.

“No individual should be above the law, not an activist, politician, traditional ruler, religious leader or social-media influencer,” he said.

On the case involving Tani Olohun, Agunbiade said the allegations against him should be tested through the judicial process.

“If Tani Olohun has committed an offence, let the evidence be tested in court. If he is innocent, let him be cleared.

“If Igboho or any member of Iru Èkùn unlawfully obstructed the police, the allegation should equally be investigated and, where established, prosecuted.

“Justice cannot be selective,” he said.

The Islamic scholar also cited Qur’an 5:2, which urges Muslims to cooperate in righteousness and piety but not in sin and aggression.

He said the principle demonstrated that Muslims could defend an individual’s legitimate rights without supporting unlawful conduct.

Agunbiade urged the Federal Government and security agencies to conduct an impartial investigation into the incident, respect lawful judicial orders and protect the rights of all persons involved.

He said Nigerians should speak up now to protect the rule of law rather than wait until private groups become powerful enough to challenge state authority.

“We must speak now, not because we have concluded that anyone is a terrorist, but because the rule of law must never become negotiable,” he stated.

Agunbiade concluded by calling for stronger institutions and lawful activism, rather than what he described as mob power and parallel authority.

“Let us not keep silent until the leopard’s tail metamorphoses into the leopard.

“Nigeria needs strong institutions, not private armies. We need justice, not mob power. We need activism within the law, not parallel authority.

“The gavel must remain stronger than the crowd. The Constitution must remain stronger than the personality. And the law must remain stronger than the group,” he said.

Igboho, Iru Èkùn: Act Now Before Parallel Authority Emerges — Agunbiade

After Communal Clash Kills Four, Lagos Moves to Clear Ikola Power-Line Shanties 

The Lagos State Government has launched a controlled demolition of shanties and other illegal structures beneath high-tension power lines in Ikola, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, barely two days after a communal clash in the area claimed four lives.

The demolition, being led by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) in partnership with the Lagos State Police Command and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), is aimed at removing structures located within the statutory right-of-way of high-voltage electricity transmission lines.

The government said the deadly violence had exposed not only the security challenges confronting the community but also the potentially fatal environmental hazards created by the proliferation of informal settlements under the power lines.

In a statement on Saturday, LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the recent confrontation between members of the Hausa and Yoruba communities had heightened concerns over the safety and security of residents in the area.

According to him, the extensive informal settlements beneath the high-voltage lines posed serious risks, including electrocution, fire outbreaks and structural collapse, and violated applicable national and international safety standards.

He said emergency and security agencies were immediately deployed to Ikola following the unrest to restore order, protect lives and prevent further escalation.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the demolition operation commenced only after residents affected by the exercise had been given adequate notice to evacuate and remove their belongings.

“The operation was preceded by adequate notice to affected residents. Communities were granted ample time to safely evacuate and recover personal belongings before the commencement of any demolition activity,” he said.

LASEMA said heavy recovery equipment was deployed to ensure that the structures within the power-line corridor were removed in a controlled and coordinated manner.

The agency also stressed that the operation was not directed at any ethnic group, despite the communal nature of the violence that preceded it.

“This intervention is therefore not targeted at any ethnic group or community, but at a dangerous structural reality that threatens everyone living in its path,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

The state government acknowledged that residents had legitimate needs for shelter and means of livelihood, but maintained that such considerations could not override the obligation of authorities to prevent avoidable deaths.

The government argued that no development could be regarded as sustainable where it exposed residents to foreseeable and preventable dangers.

The intervention followed a deadly clash at the Power Line Bus Stop, Ikola, on Thursday, in which four adult males were killed after a disagreement reportedly escalated into communal violence.

LASEMA had also reported that several makeshift structures were burnt during the unrest, while a number of people sustained injuries.

The Lagos State Police Command subsequently confirmed that calm had been restored in the area.

The state government said it would continue consultations with community leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Ikola to strengthen peaceful coexistence and enforce urban planning and safety regulations.

It urged residents to cooperate with the demolition exercise, stressing that the objective was to eliminate dangerous structures, restore order around the power-line corridor and prevent another avoidable loss of lives.

DSS moves to halt Sowore’s cybercrime trial until after 2027 election

The Department of State Services (DSS) has directed its private counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, to seek an adjournment of the ongoing cybercrime case against Omoyele Sowore until after the 2027 presidential election.

Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), is scheduled to contest the presidential election on January 16, 2027.

The proposed move would allow Sowore to participate fully in the 2027 election campaign without the pending court proceedings becoming an obstacle to his political activities.

The DSS has not withdrawn the case, and the proposed suspension has not yet been granted by the court. Rather, the agency is expected to formally ask the Federal High Court to defer further proceedings until after the election.

The development followed a reported meeting on August 20 between DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi, Kehinde and senior officials of the agency’s legal directorate.

According to a source familiar with the meeting, the DSS leadership considered the implications of the commencement of the presidential campaign on the case and concluded that Sowore should be allowed to exercise his constitutional right to contest the election without the pending proceedings hindering his campaign.

The meeting reportedly took place shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifted the ban on campaigns for the 2027 presidential election.

The source said the DSS considered the case to have already been before the court for almost a year and believed that postponing further proceedings for several months would not materially affect the matter.

The DSS is expected to formally communicate its position to the Federal High Court when regular proceedings resume following the annual judicial vacation.

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Kehinde subsequently confirmed the proposed move, saying the decision reflected what he described as the “civilised approach” of the current DSS leadership.

He said the agency was committed to providing a level playing field for political candidates and confirmed that the legal team would seek the court’s indulgence to adjourn the proceedings.

The case originated from social media posts made by Sowore on August 25, 2025, on his X account and Facebook page.

In the posts, Sowore referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal”, prompting the DSS to challenge the publications.

The security agency subsequently demanded that Sowore remove the posts.

When he declined to do so, the DSS approached the Federal High Court in September 2025, asking the court to determine whether the publications amounted to cyber-bullying and whether describing the President or another individual as a criminal without a court conviction was legally permissible.

The agency maintained that its action was intended to obtain judicial clarification rather than simply restrict Sowore’s political activities.

The DSS also argued that its statutory responsibilities include protecting the President from threats beyond physical attacks.

In a September 6, 2025 communication to Meta, the agency reportedly argued that its mandate extended to protecting the President from what it described as psychological attacks.

The security agency approached the court without initially arresting or inviting Sowore for questioning, seeking judicial determination of the issues raised by the publications.

The case has since generated controversy over freedom of expression, cybercrime laws and political rights, particularly because Sowore is a prominent opposition figure and presidential candidate.

Sowore has consistently denied wrongdoing and criticised the prosecution, while the DSS has maintained that the case raises legitimate legal questions surrounding online publications and the protection of public institutions.

The proceedings have also experienced several delays.

In May 2026, the Federal High Court dismissed Sowore’s no-case submission, holding that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence for him to enter a defence.

The ruling paved the way for the defence stage of the trial.

The proceedings subsequently became subject to further disagreements between the prosecution and defence over adjournments and other procedural matters.

The proposed DSS request therefore represents a significant development in the case because it would effectively place the proceedings on hold during the crucial months of the 2027 presidential campaign.

The agency is also reportedly reviewing other cases involving candidates contesting elective positions.

The review is expected to determine whether similar considerations should apply where ongoing prosecutions could interfere with candidates’ participation in the electoral process.

The development comes as political parties and presidential candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 election.

Sowore is expected to campaign on the platform of the AAC and challenge President Tinubu and other presidential contenders.

The decision to seek an adjournment could consequently remove an immediate legal distraction for the AAC candidate during the campaign period.

However, the proposed adjournment does not amount to an acquittal, dismissal or withdrawal of charges.

If the Federal High Court grants the application, the case would remain pending and could resume after the presidential election.

This means the underlying legal dispute over Sowore’s social media posts would remain unresolved until the proceedings recommence.

The case has also renewed debate over the appropriate treatment of political candidates facing criminal proceedings during election campaigns.

Supporters of a postponement may argue that candidates should be allowed to participate fully in elections without avoidable legal distractions, while critics could question whether election participation should affect the normal progression of a criminal case.

The DSS’s position is that allowing the case to continue after the election would not prejudice the prosecution, particularly given that the matter has already spent considerable time before the court.

The final decision, however, rests with the court.

The Federal High Court will determine whether the circumstances justify postponing further proceedings until after the 2027 presidential election.

Until that ruling is made, the Sowore cybercrime case remains active and pending before the court.

The next stage will therefore depend on the formal application by the DSS and the response of Sowore’s defence team.

If granted, the adjournment would give Sowore a temporary legal reprieve as he campaigns for the presidency, while leaving the substantive issues raised by the DSS to be determined after the election.

DSS moves to halt Sowore’s cybercrime trial until after 2027 election