Igboho will return back to Nigeria soon, Akintoye vows

 

By Ayodele Ifasakin 

The leader of the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Banji Akintoye, has disclosed that the body, other groups are working hard to secure the release of embattled Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, who is on trial in Benin Republic.

Sunday Igboho 

The Nation reports Igboho has been in detention since July 19, 2021 when he was arrested by Interpol at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou.

He was arrested with his wife, Ropo, but the Cour De’appal De Cotonou ordered the release of the Germany-based wife of the activist, saying there were no allegations against her.

Akintoye in a statement made available to The Nation by his Communications Manager, Maxwell Adeleye, described some media reports (Not The Nation) that he has left Nigeria to escape the plots of the government to arrest him as untrue.

Akintoye explained he is Benin Republic to coordinate and supervise how to legally rescue the embattled agitator, from government remand as soon as possible.

He stated that Igboho committed no offense against the Nigeria laws to warrant being arrested, intimidated or harassed and he’ll return back to Nigeria as soon as Ighoho is released by the government of Benin Republic to continue the struggle for the actualisation of Yoruba Nation.

“Myself, the President-General and Professor Wale Adeniran (Chairman) of Ilana Omo Oodua, are currently in the Republic of Benin as reported, but not on the run.

“We are here to supervise and coordinate, by all legal and and other means, the struggle for the release of our son and patriot, Sunday Adeyemo Igboho, detained by the Government from custody.

“By demanding peaceful self-determination for the Yoruba Nation, i am not breaking any law, since self-determination is recognized by the International and Nigerian laws to be an inalienable right of every Nationality, large or small, in the world.

“I have earned a solid reputation as a highly respectable advocate of a peaceful self-determination struggle. I have even written a book on the subject which is already being used as a manual by Yoruba self-determination advocates and organizations.

“Irrespective of what the Nigerian Government may be planning against me, I want to say without any fear or intimidation that I will be returning to Nigeria immediately Ighoho is released from the custody. I can’t be intimidated because I’ve not committed any offense, just like Sunday Igboho.

“Let me tell all Yoruba People across the world that there’s no cause for alarm. I didn’t flee to anywhere. I am in Benin Republic running your errands. The struggle is no retreat, no surrender.”

Akintoye also debunked the media reports that Igboho has been abandoned, and that the embattled agitator is personally funding the court cases against the governments of Nigeria and Benin Republic respectively to secure his (Igboho) and his aides’ release.

Igboho’s Arrest: Obasanjo Travels To Benin Republic | AgegePulse Magazine

 

By Ayodele Ifasakin 

Sources have revealed that a former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, travelled to the Benin Republic as part of the intervention in the ongoing trial of Yoruba activist Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho.

AgegePulse gathered that top sources in the diplomatic circles disclosed that Obasanjo travelled to an island in Tanzania and rerouted to Benin on August 1 to console with former President of Benin Republic, Nicephore Soglo, who recently lost his wife, Roseline Soglo, in Cotonou.

Igboho and OBASANJO 

Aside from consoling with Soglo, The Cable reported that another source privy to Obasanjo’s trip disclosed that the former President had a meeting with the President of Benin, Patrice Talon.

According to sources, the purpose of Obasanjo’s meeting was to seek soft-landing for Igboho, for the Beninese authorities to grant him asylum, and not to return him to Nigeria.

The former President’s meeting with the Beninese authorities is coming due to the request of some South-West leaders.

Obasanjo Travels To Benin Republic

Meanwhile, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, set up a caucus to interfere in the ordeals of the Yoruba activist. The 28-member committee comprises prominent Southwest leaders.

The coordinator of the Ooni caucus, Akin Osuntokun, said the caucus would look into the issues surrounding the arrest of Igboho and other related matters.

According to Osuntokun, the Ooni of Ife had inaugurated an advisory council comprising eminent Yoruba sons and daughters across the political spectrum. He added that the inauguration ceremony had been scheduled over a month ago.

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BREAKING: Court restrains AGF, DSS from arresting Igboho, Blocking Account

 Justice Ladiean Akintola of Oyo High Court has granted an ex-parte motion restraining the Department of State Security (DSS) and Attorney General of the Federation from arresting, intimidating, harassing, and blocking bank accounts of Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.

Sunday Igboho 

The order was granted following an ex-parte motion moved by his lawyer Chief Yomi Aliu (SAN) at the court on Wednesday.

The motion developed from the originating motion seeking N500 billion damages for invasion of his house in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on July 1.

Aliu expressed confidence the AGF Abubakar Malami (SAN) will not disobey the court order, stressing that it was given directly against his office.

Hearing in the suit was adjourned to August 18.

Details shortly…

Source The Nation 

Igboho: Buratai Meets Benin Republic President| AgegePulse Magazine

By Ayodele Ifasakin

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has met with the President of the French-speaking West African nation, Patrice Talon.

R: Buratai with Benin President, Talon

Buratai met with the Beninese President on Tuesday during the official presentation of his letter of credence.

Also, the Ambassador of Germany to Benin Republic, Michael Derus; as well as those of Ghana, Gabon, and Norway also presented their letters of credence to Talon.

Buratai (R) presents his letter of credence to Talon (L)

Buratai’s meeting with the Beninese President occurred amid the planned extradition of wanted Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, who was arrested in Cotonou on July 19, 2021 while he tried to catch a flight to Germany.

A member of Igboho’s legal team, Pelumi Olajengbesi, had said Buratai asked for the extradition of Igboho to the headquarters of the Department of State Services in Abuja, Nigeria but Benin Republic disappointed him.

Buratai, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff between July 2015 and January 2021, was deployed as Nigeria’s envoy in the Benin Republic in June 2021.

Before then, the Nigerian President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had presented Buratai’s nomination to the Senate and the upper chamber of the National Assembly had confirmed the ex-COAS’ nomination despite public outcry of some crimes against humanity allegedly committed by the Nigerian Army under Buratai’s leadership.

In a statement, the Beninese Government said Talon granted audience to each of the new ambassadors and discussed with them on the revitalisation and strengthening of bilateral cooperation between these different countries and Benin.

Talon was also said to have received a brief update on the state of cooperation between Benin, Nigeria and the other countries.

“The President of the Republic also took the opportunity to invite the new Ambassadors to work more on consolidating and strengthening the warm relations that already exist between their countries and Benin,” the statement added.

It was, however, not clear whether or not Buratai discussed Igboho’s extradition with the Beninese President.

Igboho, an arrowhead of the secessionist agitation for Yoruba nation, has been in detention since July 19, 2021 when he was arrested by Interpol at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou around 8pm.

Igboho was arrested after the Nigerian Government notified its West African neighbours – including Benin Republic – that he should be hunted.

He was arrested with his wife, Ropo, but the Cour De’appal De Cotonou ordered the release of the Germany-based wife of the activist, saying there were no allegations against her.

The Beninese court, on Monday, however, ordered that Igboho be remanded in a prison facility in the country while further investigations were carried out on the case against the agitator.

Igboho is facing allegations bordering on trafficking in arms, inciting violence and causing disunity in Nigeria.

Some of the other offences said to have been committed by the activist include entering Benin Republic illegally as well as alleged planned intent to cause social unrest in Benin Republic.

Though currently in detention, the court granted the 48-year-old agitator access to medical care while his lawyers continue to battle for his release and kick against his extradition to Nigeria.

Recall that Igboho fled Nigeria after the DSS declared him wanted for allegedly stockpiling arms to cause mayhem under the pretext of Yoruba nation but the activist denied the allegation.

Igboho had narrowly escaped the DSS raid on his Ibadan residence on July 1, 2021 around 1am when the secret police killed two of his associates and arrested about 12 of them.

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