By Kalu Nwokoro Idika
There is palpable fear in the leadership circle of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), after the conviction of Yoruba anarchist, Adeyinka Grandson by a UK court for promoting ethnic hatred in Nigeria through social media platforms.
Adeyinka Grandson, the convener of the Young Yorubas for Freedom (YYF), in August 2019 was arrested in London over his social media posts against some ethnic groups in Nigeria.
The Scotland Yard Counter Terrorism while stating reason for his arrest, said Adeyinka “stirred racial discrimination” against the Igbo and Fulani ethnic groups and also “encouraged terrorism”.
In a landmark judgement by the court, Adeyinka Grandson was sentenced to four and half years in prison which was announced on Friday by the UK metropolitan police in a statement.
The statement reads, “The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command launched an investigation in March 2019 as a direct result of members of the public raising concerns to police about online social media posts which contained comments aimed at particular ethnic groups based in Nigeria.
“The posts were created by accounts under the name “Adeyinka Grandson” and were reported to police via the online reporting tool www.gov.uk/ACT.
“This material was assessed by specialist officers within the Met’s Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU). After assessing the posts, which contained commentary encouraging attacks against certain ethnic groups in Nigeria, officers determined these posts were potentially in breach of UK legislation and a formal investigation was launched. The activity was all found to be linked to Adeyinka Shoyemi.
“Shoyemi, 45 (12.04.76) of Powis Terrace, W11 was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ imprisonment on Thursday, 31 March. He was found guilty on 30 November 2021 of eight counts of inciting racial hatred after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.”
Meanwhile, the conviction of Adeyinka Grandson, has stirred a very serious tension in the leadership circle of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, a credible source familiar with events in the movement authoritatively told NewsBand.
The source said that the leadership of the separatist movement is worried over what has befallen Adeyinka Grandson in the United Kingdom, as the same treatment could be extended to Nnamdi Kanu.
The source said, “If Adeyinka Grandson who did not do half of what Nnamdi Kanu used radio Biafra London to commit could be convicted, imagine what is about to befall Kanu as his court case will resume on the 8th of April.
“The leadership of IPOB is worried because they are seeing the same treatment that was given to Adeyinka Grandson being prepared for Nnamdi Kanu by the powers that be”.
However, Nnamdi Kanu is currently facing terrorism charges after he was renditioned from Kenya by the administration of president Muhammedu Buhari last year.
His trial is set to resume on the 8th of April after he had earlier pleaded not guilty to the terrorism charges slammed against him by DSS.
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