The Beninoise Government has shunned President Muhammadu Buhari-led government request to extradite the popular Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho from the Benin Republic to Nigeria.
The Beninoise authorities who disclosed his on Thursday insisted on a fair trial for Sunday Igboho before yielding to the demand.
Daily Independent had on Monday reported that the Yoruba freedom fighter was arrested in Cadjèhoun Airport, Cotonou, Benin republic while trying to flee to Germany.
Igboho and his wife are expected to be arraigned for immigration-related offences in the Benin Republic on Thursday after a spirited move by the Buhari government to bring him back to Nigeria.
According to a source who spoke to SaharaReporters, the government said it will not deal with a request for extradition without first trying Igboho for the local offence he was arrested for, adding that the Yoruba nation activist had hired a Beninois defence attorney, Rafael Huvehnou to defend him.
Huvehnou is currently an attorney to the President of the Benin Republic and here are strong indications that Igboho may be granted bail today following his trial.
“We went to court at Cotonou today but they didn’t bring Igboho to court, so we called his lawyer. He was in safe hands at Cotonou Criminal Brigade where he was detained. They will take him to court today.
“Igboho has given a statement to the police. He was travelling with a Beninoise passport adjudged to be fake,” the source privy said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government, through its Ambassador to Benin Republic, Tukur Buratai, is bent on extraditing Igboho to Nigeria.
It was learned that the former Chief of Army Staff wrote two letters to the government of the West African country and insisted on the arrest and extradition of Igboho.
DAILY INDEPENDENT
