Protests, legal fireworks trail Sunday Igboho's arrest

Wed, Jul 21, 2021
By editor
3 MIN READ

Featured, Politics

FOLLOWERS of  Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, the embattled Yoruba activist  on Wednesday, July 21, protested in Ibadan, the Oyo State, demanding his release by authorities in the Republic of Benin.

Realnews reports that Igboho was arrested at an airport in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, on Monday, July 19, on his way to German.

The protest began from Igboho’s house in the Sooka area of Ibadan from where the protesters moved to the streets in the afternoon, singing the Yoruba Nation anthem and chanting “Igboho Oosa”, “Free Igboho now now”. They later blocked some road, causing traffic jam along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

They also displayed placards which read: “ “Sunday Igboho is fighting for our freedom”;  “Sunday Igboho is not a criminal”; I stand with Chief Sunday Igboho”; and “Yoruba wake up”.

Prior to his arrest in Cotonou, the Department of State Service, DSS, on July 1, declared  Igboho wanted and put him on the watch list of the International police, INTERPOL,  after security operatives raided his house in Ibadan, killed 2 AND arrested 13 persons while Igboho escaped.

Apart from guns and charms, Igboho’s international passport and his German resident permit were also recovered.

However, Igboho was arrested on Monday night in the neighbouring country along with Ropo Adeyemo, his German wife, while attempting to travel to Europe.

Realnews gathered that the involvement of his wife in the arrest in Cotonou got the German government to intervened in the matter.

The Nation reported that Igboho’s lawyers led by Yomi Aliu, SAN, have moved to Benin Republic where they have contracted Beninese lawyers in readiness for a legal battle to prevent the agitator’s extradition to Nigeria.

The Beninese government, it was learnt, is willing to hand Igboho over to Nigeria because of the warm diplomatic relationship between the two countries and to facilitate free trade along the border with Nigeria.

A top source said: “There has been suspense over extradition of Igboho because of diplomatic intrigues. The involvement of a German citizen has added a new dimension to the arrest of Igboho. Germany is insisting on a fair procedure. Most Western nations are backing Germany.

“If Germany has its way, Igboho’s extradition has to be subjected to a thorough legal process. It is claiming that Igboho must undergo a free and transparent judicial process in Benin Republic. The Federal government is insisting that the INTERPOL statute must be respected and the suspect should be handed over immediately.

Based on his watch-list, the federal government wanted Igboho extradited to Nigeria in line with the laws governing INTERPOL.

The INTERPOL is made up of 194 countries which are sharing data related to police investigations.

Both Nigeria and Benin Republic are member countries of INTERPOL.

“Igboho’s lawyer Aliu and some Beninese lawyers would join in the legal and diplomatic matters, including the Extradition Treaty of 1984 by Togo, Nigeria, Ghana and Republic of Benin. (with reports from the Nation)

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