Benin Republic Court Declines Extradition Of Sunday Igboho To Nigeria, Orders Him To Remain In Cell

By Edna Wande On Jul 27, 2021

Court D’Appal of Cotonou has ordered Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to be kept in prison custody pending further investigation.

The court, however, declined the extradition of Igboho to Nigeria.

Recall that Igboho and his wife, Ropo were arrested at Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou around 8pm on July 19, 2021, while they tried to catch a flight to Germany through an Air France plane.

However, Ropo, who is a German citizen was set free by the court on Thursday while the self-styled agitator was remanded in the custody of Brigade Criminelle in Cotonou.

Igboho was earlier declared wanted by Department of State Services in Nigeria for allegedly stockpiling arms, an allegation he denied.

The government of Nigeria accused him of trafficking in arms, inciting violence to disrupt public peace, and agitating for secession. It also sought his extradition to Nigeria.

The secret police on July 1, 2021, had raided his house, killed two of his associates and arrested about 12 of them.

Resuming the hearing on Monday, the court, which was expected to start hearing the case at 10:00am, barred reporters and supporters of Igboho who besieged the premises, prompting fears that he might be deported to Nigeria.

The hearing commenced at noon but there were intermittent breaks. Igboho’s lawyers battled to secure bail for the activist but the court only granted him access to medical care after the marathon sessions which ended around past 11pm (Nigerian time).

The court also ordered that Igboho be transferred to another detention facility and granted him access to a doctor.

It was learnt that the court proceeding took that long because the system of law in Benin Republic was different from the system of law in Nigeria.

Nigeria practises an adversarial system of justice but Benin Republic has an inquisitorial system, a justice system in which the judge delves into the matter to enquire like the investigator, asking questions and probing the suspects.