Iskilu Wakili, the self-acclaimed Fulani warload, has been arrested by a team of security operatives located in Ibarapa area of Oyo state.
Wakili had challenged Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to a duel after he (Igboho) issued evacuation notice to herders in Igangan and Ibarapa area, blaming them for insecurity in Oyo state.
His evacuation notice also led Seriki Saliu, the Fulani leader in the Ibarapa, to flee the area.
Confirming the arrest to TheCable via a text message on Sunday, Gbenga Fadeyi, the police public relations officer in Oyo state, said Wakili and three others are already in police custody.
“Yes, (he was arrested) with three others,” Fadeyi said.
Oguntola Adeola, a security operative, told TheCable that Wakili’s arrest was carried out after a gun battle.
“Wakili has been parading himself as a Fulani warlord in Ibarapa area. He was arrested after a gun fight with the Oodua Peoples Congress and other security groups early on Sunday. He was arrested with three of his fighters,” Adeola said.
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“He said he was sick and has been taking treatment in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. He also said that he only returned to Ibarapa from Cotonou on Saturday, but it was a lie. After arrest, he stopped talking to us.”
Asked if Igboho was involved in the operation, Adeola said he could not confirm the youth leader’s involvement.
“I cannot tell you what Igboho did, but we all know what he had done before now to set the tone for the herdsmen evacuation. The events are interwoven,” he added.
In a statement issued through Kehinde Aderemi, his special assistant on media, Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, confirmed the arrest while praising the security operatives for their efforts.
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“I am happy that the notorious kidnapper had been captured alongside three others. It is a good development and a positive signal to other criminal elements that the South-West is no longer an abode for bandits, kidnappers, and criminal herders,” Adams said.
“I commend all the members of the joint security team that has made this possible because with the video at my disposal, it was purely a neat job.”
Notorious herdsman Iskilu Wakili arrested in Oyo
By Samuel Oamen
The notorious herdsman terrorising communities in Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun areas of Oyo State, Iskilu Wakili, has been arrested.
The Nation learnt he was arrested on Sunday morning in Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government.
Wakili had been alleged to have masterminded the killings and abductions in the communities.
He was arrested by men of the Odua Peoples Congress(OPC).
Kehinde Aderemi, Special Assistant on Media to Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams Adams, confirmed his arrest.
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere commended OPC for the development.
Its National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, in a statement on Sunday, said: “Afenifere gives tremendous commendation to OPC under Iba Gani Adams for the arrest of iskilu Wakili, a Fulani bandit who has been spreading terror on ou people in Igboho area and the Nigerian Police and other security agencies unable to do anything about him.
“The early morning peaceful arrest confirms our position on how effective local initiative can do well in homeland security.
“We were not shocked that but for the intervention by the leadership in Oyo State, the Police would have gone after the OPC boys instead of taking the criminal from them and do the needful.
“Nigeria is going nowhere with a security network that shuns federalism.”
OPC on February 27 arrested the second-in-command to the alleged dreaded kidnapper, one Isiaka Muhammadu.
Details shortly…
Notorious Fulani warlord Iskilu Wakili arrested in Oyo
by Sodiq Oyeleke and Segun Adewole
A joint team of Ibarapa security operatives, including Oodua Peoples Congress, Vigilante, and other groups have arrested the notorious Fulani warlord terrorising Oyo communities, Iskilu Wakili.
The PUNCH gathered that Wakili was arrested after several attempts resulting in a gun battle.
There had been reports that Wakili and his gang were involved in the killings and kidnapping of several people in Ibarapa, Oke Ogun, Oyo State.
Wakili was nabbed barely seven days after his second-in-command, Isiaka Muhammadu, was arrested alongside four others.
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, confirmed Wakili’s arrest in a statement made available to The PUNCH by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, on Sunday.
Adams said the Fulani warlord was arrested around 7 am on Sunday and had been handed over to the Divisional Police Office in Igbo Ora, Oyo State.
The statement was titled, “Insecurity: Gani Adams applauds OPC, Ibarapa joint security team over arrest of Kidnap kingpin Wakilu, three others in Ibarapa’.
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland described Wakili as the ‘most-dreaded, notorious kidnap kingpin’ who has operated in Oyo State.
Adams said, “I am happy that the notorious kidnapper had been captured alongside three others. It is a good development and a positive signal to other criminal elements that the South-West is no longer an abode for bandits, kidnappers, and criminal herders.
“I commend all the members of the joint security team that has made this possible because with the video at my disposal, it was purely a neat job.
“With this development, I think the whole world will agree with me that the fight against insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry needs native intelligence, information gathering, and grassroots support from local securities and operatives.
“As I have said earlier that the effort to rid the South-West of bandits and kidnappers was to complement the efforts of the police and in doing that, it is also very important for the police to support the local security operatives because they are always at the grassroots and they have their ears to the ground on local security matters.”