IBADAN, Oyo State — Yoruba Nation activist **Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, reportedly intervened to prevent police officers from arresting Isese practitioner Abdulazeez Adegbola, popularly known as Tani Olohun, at his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday.
The reported incident occurred amid an ongoing criminal case against Tani Olohun over a social media video that the Ilorin Heritage Preservation Foundation alleged mocked an Islamic prayer and could trigger religious tension.
According to sources, police officers arrived at Tani Olohun’s residence on Tuesday morning and attempted to take him into custody. His family reportedly contacted Igboho, who later arrived at the scene with supporters and resisted the arrest attempt.
One source claimed that Igboho told the officers they could not take Tani Olohun away despite an alleged court warrant.
However, the precise circumstances surrounding the reported arrest attempt, including the status and validity of any warrant or court order being relied upon by the officers, were not immediately clear.
Tense Scene at Tani Olohun’s Residence
A live video shared on social media showed individuals who appeared to be police officers at the residence. Relatives of Tani Olohun were heard alleging that the men identified themselves as police officers and were attempting to arrest him.
Footage reportedly showed Tani Olohun sitting beside a tap while two officers stood nearby. The confrontation allegedly escalated into a scuffle.
A person recording the incident also questioned the identity of the officers and the circumstances surrounding their operation, claiming that the officers had travelled from Ilorin, Kwara State, to Ibadan.
These allegations could not be independently verified.
Criminal Case Before Ilorin Court
The reported arrest attempt comes against the backdrop of a criminal case instituted by the Ilorin Heritage Preservation Foundation.
The foundation accused Tani Olohun of publishing a video on social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube and TikTok that allegedly mocked an Islamic sacred prayer and contained content capable of causing religious tension.
The foundation reportedly alleged that the video generated hostile comments against Muslims and amounted to incitement of religious disturbance, contempt of religious creed and injurious falsehood.
The complaint was reportedly filed under Sections 114, 210 and 393(1) of the Penal Code Law of Kwara State.
The case is before the Upper Area Court II, Ilorin Judicial Division, with proceedings reportedly adjourned until September 1, 2026.
Legal Questions Surround Reported Arrest
The reported incident has raised questions over the legal basis for the police operation, particularly because the case remains before the court.
A source also claimed that Igboho could face legal consequences for allegedly obstructing the police. That claim, however, could not be independently verified.
Tani Olohun is known as an advocate of Isese, the indigenous Yoruba religious tradition, and has previously been involved in public discussions and controversies surrounding traditional religion and cultural rights.
The allegations against him remain unproven unless and until determined by the court.
Efforts to obtain a response from Olayomi Koiki, Igboho’s spokesperson and media coordinator, were reportedly unsuccessful at the time of filing.
