A court in the United Kingdom has convicted a self-styled Yoruba activist, Adeyinka Grandson, of racial hatred, incitement to genocide and conspiracy to commit terrorist acts.
The UK-based Adeyinka was found guilty of the charges by a Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday following his arrest by the Scotland Yard Counter Terrorism Command, and the Metropolitan Police in August 2019.
Scotland Yard Counter Terrorism Command had arrested Adeyinka for allegedly “stirring racial discrimination against the Igbos and Fulani ethnic groups in Nigeria and also encouraging terrorism.”
According to preliminary investigations by Scotland Yard, Adeyinka who claimed to be fighting for the Yoruba race and emancipation, used his “position as the leader of Young Yoruba For Freedom (YYF) to spread hatred and extremism against people of other tribes, especially Igbos and Fulani people.”
“On several counts, he had issued ‘quit notices’ to Igbo and Fulani people living in Yoruba land else they would face dire consequences.
“He is also known for making anti-Igbo and anti-Fulani speeches in his YouTube channel for which the UK authorities have consistently warned him before he was later arrested,” a statement by Scotland Yard said.
Following his arrest, Scotland Yard Counter Terrorism Command had grilled him for nine hours, and his house was searched by the London Metropolitan Police following a warrant granted by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court, and incriminating items were seized.
“During interrogation he denied any involvement in terrorism or promoting racial hatred, explaining that his group, the Young Yoruba For Freedom, (YYF), only supports the return of Nigeria to the old regional system. But his videos put a lie to his claim as they portrayed a bitter man spewing hate, bile and threats of war,” the statement added.
Among the conditions for his bail, “Adeyinka must sleep and live at his home address only and can’t access, use, or post on Facebook, Youtube, Tumblr, or the website linked to the YYF, while his sentencing had been scheduled for January 7, 2022, and could face up to 20 years in prison.