UK Jails Nigerian Four Years For Instigating Violence Against Igbo

A Nigerian based in West London, Adeyinka Shoyemi, 45, of Powis Terrace in Notting Hill, who incite racial hatred with inflammatory messages encouraging violence in Nigeria has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Shoyemi, popularly known as Adeyinka Grandson, of Powis Terrace in Notting Hill, first came to the attention of counter-terror police in the UK in March 2019 after members of the public tipped them off about the posts targeting particular ethnic groups in Nigeria.

UK-based Evening Standard reported on Friday that the messages, posted by accounts under the name ‘Adeyinka Grandson’, were assessed by a specialist group of officers in the Met’s Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit.

They found the posts, which had commentary encouraging attacks against certain ethnic groups, especially the Igbo, were in potential breach of the law and launched a probe.

He was first arrested at his home address in August 2019, with officers searching three properties linked to him and seizing various digital devices.

Shoyemi was initially charged with six counts of inciting racial hatred and he was released on bail with a condition not to post any more social media posts which were threatening, abusive or insulting to any ethnic groups.

But he was later rearrested after he flouted his bail conditions to make more of the posts.

Consequently two more inciting racial hatred charges were added.

 Shoyemi was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ behind bars on Thursday.

He was found guilty on November 30 of eight counts of inciting racial hatred after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.

-Punch