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.”
