Sunday Igboho
According to a report by SaharaReporters, more facts emerged on Wednesday about how Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Igboho, initially escaped from security operatives at the airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, but was lured back to the place through phone calls by one of his travel agents.
Already, Igboho’s lawyers, led by Yomi Aliu, SAN, had moved to Benin Republic where they had joined up with Beninese lawyers in readiness for a legal battle to prevent the activist’s extradition to Nigeria.
“You know that he has been under watch and he is someone who talks to too many people. These telephone calls were used to trail him and he was intercepted in Cotonou.
“He initially escaped from the airport when the security operatives wanted to arrest him. But the travel agent called him back saying the matter had been resolved. But on getting back, he was arrested with his wife.
“A lot of people made efforts to resolve the matter but we discovered that the Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic (Tukur Buratai) was already aware and he said that he (Igboho) must be extradited,” a source said.
Another source noted that Igboho and his wife were detained at the “Benin Republic Criminal Police cell”, adding that “Buratai would have gone to the police station because he was the one that told them to arrest him.”
The source noted that the German Embassy was intervening in the matter because Igboho’s wife is a German citizen.
He added, however, the Nigerian Government could mount pressure on Benin Republic and extradite Igboho today (Wednesday).
“I was told they (Nigerian government officials) are coming today. My prayer is that he should remain in Cotonou or be allowed to go to Germany because I don’t know what would happen to him in Abuja,” the source said.