The turbulent journey of a man whose name once shook the Nigerian state and now returns to the national conversation
For more than three years, the name Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Oloye Sunday Igboho, evoked strong emotions across Nigeria. To his supporters, he stood as a fearless defender of Yoruba interests in the face of worsening insecurity. To the Nigerian state, he was once viewed as a radical agitator whose activities threatened national stability. Today, following reports that his name has been removed from the Federal Government’s wanted list, Igboho’s story re-emerges as one of the most compelling political and social narratives of contemporary Nigeria.
Sunday Adeyemo was born on October 17, 1967, in Igboho town, Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, from where he later adopted the sobriquet “Igboho.” Raised in a modest Yoruba household, Igboho grew up with strong communal values shaped by traditional norms, self-reliance, and deep respect for Yoruba culture, tradition and leadership structures.
Although he did not pursue extensive formal education, Igboho became a successful businessman in the transport and logistics sector, operating between Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries. His commercial success afforded him social influence long before he ventured into activism.
Sunday Igboho rose to national prominence around 2019–2020, at a time when kidnapping, banditry, and violent attacks on farmers were becoming rampant in parts of South-West Nigeria. Many local communities accused armed criminal elements, often described as “unknown gunmen” or “foreign herders,” of occupying forests and terrorising rural settlements.
Igboho positioned himself as a grassroots mobiliser, openly challenging what he described as government inaction. His most prominent intervention came in January 2021, when he issued a public ultimatum to suspected criminal elements occupying forest reserves in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State. The action followed the killing of a local farmer, Dr. Fatai Aborode.
The ultimatum, which drew both praise and condemnation, catapulted Igboho into national and international headlines.
Beyond local security concerns, Igboho soon became associated with the agitation for Yoruba self-determination, often aligning with the broader call for an independent Oduduwa Republic. While he consistently described his movement as peaceful, his rhetoric was direct, emotional, and confrontational, qualities that endeared him to supporters but alarmed federal authorities.
His activism resonated strongly among youths and traditional communities who felt marginalised by Nigeria’s security architecture.
In July 2021, the Federal Government declared Sunday Igboho wanted. The Department of State Services (DSS) accused him of stockpiling arms and inciting violence, allegations he denied. A night raid on his residence in Ibadan resulted in casualties and arrests of associates, while Igboho narrowly escaped.
The declaration marked a turning point, transforming him from a regional activist into a fugitive of the Nigerian state.
Sunday Igboho was arrested in July 2021 at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, while attempting to travel to Germany. Nigerian authorities immediately sought his extradition, but after prolonged legal battles, Beninese courts declined the request.
He spent months in detention and under restricted movement in Benin before eventually gaining conditional freedom. From exile, Igboho maintained contact with supporters, insisting that his struggle was rooted in justice, not rebellion.
Despite his public profile, Igboho has kept much of his family life private. He is married with children and has often stated that his prolonged exile took an emotional toll on his family. He has publicly acknowledged the support of his wife, children, and extended family throughout his ordeal.
In early 2026, multiple credible Nigerian media outlets reported that Sunday Igboho’s name had been removed from the Federal Government’s wanted list, following sustained interventions by prominent Yoruba traditional rulers, including the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and other influential stakeholders.
Subsequently, Igboho returned to Nigeria and was received by supporters and traditional leaders in Ibadan, marking a significant political and symbolic moment. He publicly expressed gratitude to monarchs and well-wishers, describing the development as a step toward reconciliation and peace.
While the Federal Government has not issued an elaborate official statement, the convergence of reports from major newspapers and Igboho’s unrestricted public engagements strongly indicate a formal lifting of his name from wanted status.
Sunday Igboho’s story reflects deeper national questions about security, federalism, ethnic identity, and civic dissent in Nigeria. To admirers, he represents courage and resistance against injustice. To critics, he embodies the dangers of self-help security and ethnic mobilisation.
What is undeniable, however, is that Sunday Igboho has become a symbolic figure in Nigeria’s ongoing debate over governance, inclusion, and the right of communities to feel safe within the federation.
From a businessman in Oke-Ogun to a man whose name dominated national security discourse, Sunday Igboho’s journey is one of controversy, courage, exile, and eventual reintegration. His re-emergence into public life may not end debates around his methods, but it undoubtedly reopens conversations about justice, dialogue, and the future of Nigeria’s unity.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with insecurity and demands for restructuring, the Igboho chapter remains a powerful reminder that unresolved grievances, when ignored, often find voices outside conventional political spaces.
