The Republic of Benin government has filed fresh charges against Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday ‘Igboho’.
One of Igboho’s lawyers, Ibrahim Salami, disclosed the new charges after Monday night’s hearing when Igboho was ordered to remain in police custody in Benin Republic.
Before the hearing, Salami had said that the legal team was expecting extradition charges from the Nigerian government against the activist. However, he said Sunday Igboho was confronted with fresh charges when he appeared in court.
He noted that Igboho was further remanded to allow police conduct a thorough investigation into the charges, which included illegal migration, dubious connivance with immigration officers and an attempt to cause civil unrest.
“First, the judge wanted to know how Sunday Igboho entered into the Benin Republic through an illegal means. They also want to investigate how Sunday Igboho conspired with others to enter Benin Republic through wrong means.
“They also want to know how long he has been in Benin Republic and his plans in the country. They also raised a charge on whether he wants to come and cause unrest or social disturbance in Benin Republic,” the lawyer said in an interview with BBC Yoruba.
Some of the allegations, which he said could not be proved, included trafficking in arms, inciting violence that could result in social disturbance and causing disunity in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, a Yoruba self-determination group, Yoruba Koya Liberation Movement (YKLM), has named President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; former Chief of Army Staff and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, Tukur Buratai and other top government officials allegedly behind current travail of Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Igboho, in the Republic of Benin, to desist.
The group stressed that no oppressor has ever triumphed against the collective will of the people.
A statement signed by its Director of Media and Communications, Oluwafemi Oluwajuyitan, urged Buhari and other leaders putting political pressure on Benin Republic to jail Ighoho to remember that nothing lasts forever.
