How Sunday Igboho was arrested in Benin Republic
Post created on July 20, 2021
The arrest of Sunday Igboho was reported all over the media on Tuesday morning, weeks after he was declared wanted by Nigerian authorities.
According to a report by PREMIUM TIMES, three weeks after Sunday Igboho was declared wanted by Nigeria’s secret police, the Republican Police on Monday evening arrested him.
[pullquote]He was “disembarked from his plane, arrested by the Beninese police while he was trying to travel to Germany and then transferred to the Cotonou Criminal Brigade.”[/pullquote]
Igboho, a campaigner for Yoruba self-determination, was arrested in neighbouring Cotonou, Benin Republic, while trying to travel to Germany.
A local newspaper in the neighbouring country, Banouto reports quoted Beninise authorities as saying Mr Igboho was nabbed at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport in Cotonou.
He was “disembarked from his plane, arrested by the Beninese police while he was trying to travel to Germany and then transferred to the Cotonou Criminal Brigade.”
It was learnt that under the agreements between the two countries, Mr Igboho’s extradition should be concluded without hindrance.
While the Nigerian government is yet to speak on the development, reactions have started pouring in from different Yoruba groups.
Mr Igboho’s lawyer called on the government of Benin Republic to prevent the extradition of Mr. Igboho to Nigeria.
“I call upon you to rise up and curb the impunity of the Nigerian Government by refusing any application for extradition of our client who already has an application before the International Criminal Court duly acknowledged,” he said in a brief statement according to PREMIUM TIMES.
While the Nigerian government is yet to speak on the development, reactions have started pouring in from different Yoruba groups.
Mr Igboho has led rallies in Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, and Ogun states. He threatened to hold the rally in Lagos on July 3 but his home was invaded barely 72 hours to the planned date.
While some of his aides were arrested with various weapons, he escaped and had since been declared wanted.
