August 02, (THEWILL) – The lawyer of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has disclosed that authorities in Benin Republic will likely make the outcome of his asylum application known this week.
When Igboho was re-arraigned last Monday in Cotonou, capital of Benin Republic, fresh charges were levelled against him, while he was also returned to a new detention facility.
Igboho’s Coordinating Counsel, Olasupo Ojo, who disclosed that he was yet to get any official report on his asylum, however said, he was expecting feedback this week.
“We are expecting feedback this week,” he said.
Also, the spokesperson for Ilana Omo Oduduwa, Maxwell Adeleye, said the organisation expects a positive response.
“We have submitted an application and we are hoping to get a positive response before the end of the week,” he said.
Ibrahim Salami, one of the Cotonou, Benin Republic-based lawyers of Igboho, had explained that charges against Igboho would be neutralised if the activist is granted asylum.
Salami said this while explaining that Igboho was not arrested for possessing a Benin Republic passport despite not being a citizen.
The lawyer had said, “When he left Nigeria, he took the backdoor into Benin. It was at the airport that security operatives stopped him that he was on the watchlist. He didn’t go against any law in Benin Republic. They didn’t find any Beninese passport on him. He had a Nigerian passport with a German residency card. He needed no visa at that point.
“When we understudied the case, we realised that the Nigerian government had not filed a case for extradition. They only claimed that he is wanted in Nigeria for criminal offences. Our argument is that he was arrested because of Nigeria’s request, and there is no proof to show that he is a criminal. He spent barely 24 hours in the country and filed an asylum.”
THEWILL had reported that Igboho and his wife (Ropo) were arrested on Monday, July 19, 2021, at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Republic of Benin on their way to Germany.
Ropo was later released.
Igboho fled Nigeria after security agents (DSS) raided his home in Ibadan City, killed two of his associates and declared him wanted for stockpiling arms.
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