A Beninese Court sitting in Cotonou, Benin Republic, has asked the Nigerian government to provide on Monday, whatever evidence it has against Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho.

 

The Nigerian government is accusing the activist of allegedly trafficking in arms and inciting violence capable of causing social disturbance. He was declared wanted by the Department of State Services, DSS, earlier in July after his Ibadan house was raided by operatives of the DSS who killed two of his aides and arrested 12 others. The arrested aides were paraded in Abuja and an Abuja court yesterday directed the DSS to produce them in court, July 29 to show cause why they should not be released on bail.

 

Igboho was however arraigned yesterday at the Court D’Appel De Cotonou in Benin Republic after his arrest at the Cardinal Bernardin International Airport, Cotonou on Monday night on his way to Germany with his wife.

 

After yesterday’s court proceedings at the Beninois court, Igboho’s lawyer, Mr Ibrahim Salami, told theIlana Omo Oodua, IOO, a group championing the cause of Yoruba nation that Igboho’s case was adjourned till Monday 26th July to allow the Federal Government of Nigeria bring up whatever evidence they may have to prove the allegations against him.

 

The group’s Communications Manager, Mr Maxwell Adeleye, in a statement yesterday said,

 

“ the court set Mrs Adeyemo, Igboho’s wife free on Wednesday since it has been found that she has committed no offence and there’s no complaint whatsoever against her. Consequently, her German passport was returned to her.

 

“The lawyers handling the case reported after the proceedings that Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho cannot be extradited to Nigeria for two principal reasons:

 

“That contrary to insinuations, Nigeria and Benin have no Extradition Agreement. That Nigeria has not been able to come up with charges that could lead the court to order Igboho’s extradition to Nigeria. “What Federal Government came up with were mere allegations against Ighoho such as trafficking in arms and inciting violence that could result in the social disturbance without evidence which the Government of Benin Republic considered spurious, untenable, and insufficient to warrant extradition.

 

“The case has been adjourned till Monday 26th July to allow the Federal Government bring up whatever evidence they may have, and Mr. lgboho has been taken back to the police custody.”

 

God wanted greater enthusiasm from Yoruba people—Banji Akintoye

 

Meanwhile, Leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, IOO, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye said that the arrest of Sunday Igboho was a blessing in guise adding that God wanted greater enthusiasm from the Yoruba people. Akintoye, who spoke on ARISE TV, said since Igboho was arrested, the Yoruba people have been united.

 

The Yoruba leader said: “We have been receiving calls both at home and in the diaspora and they are offering their support. They are giving assistance not just to Sunday Igboho alone but to the whole Yoruba Nation’s self-determination programme. It is as if God allowed this to happen because He wanted to get greater enthusiasm from the Yoruba people for the Yoruba nation.”

 

Also reacting to Igboho’s arrest, Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, Yoruba socio-political group, argued that the Federal Government has no right to seek Sunday Igboho’s extradition from Benin Republic.

 

In a chat with Arise Tv on Thursday, Adebanjo described Igboho as a “political prisoner”, and said the Federal Government has “no right” to seek his extradition.

 

The 93-year-old Afenifere leader submitted that Nigerian authorities were only terrified by Igboho’s popularity, saying “the-power-that-be wants to kill him because he’s leading a popular revolt”.

 

He said, “Buhari may depend on chariots and everything, but we have God.

 

“He [Igboho] is a political refugee. He didn’t commit any crime here. He didn’t waylay or kill anybody. He didn’t run away from anybody after committing a crime. He ran for his life because the-powers-that-be wanted to kill him because of his agitation, because he’s leading a popular revolt.

 

“When they saw the crowd that Igboho was pulling at every meeting, that was terrifying to them them.

 

“You’re looking for somebody’s life, and you ask him to come and surrender himself? Who will do that? He has muzzled everybody: the press can’t talk, and there is a limit to questions that broadcasters can ask now if they don’t want their stations to be closed down. They are keeping everybody quiet. But I tell you, they may depend on chariots and everything, but we have God because we are helpless. “