The Beninese government is reported to have filed fresh charges against Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, who was arrested in the country last Monday.
This is coming after Igboho was remanded in a police cell by a Beninese court after a 13-hour hearing on Monday.
This was made known by Ibrahim Salami, one of the Cotonou-based lawyers, representing Igboho, after Monday’s hearing.
What Sunday Igboho’s lawyer is saying
Salami said that the legal team before the hearing was expecting the extradition charges from the Nigerian government against the activist to be heard.
However, he said Sunday Igboho was confronted with fresh charges when he appeared on Monday and ordered back to detention to allow police to conduct a thorough investigation into the charges, which included illegal migration, dubious connivance with immigration officers, and an attempt to cause civil unrest.
Salami had expected that Igboho would be freed on Monday because the Federal Government had yet to file formal extradition charges against Igboho adding that the previous allegations that warranted placing Igboho on a watchlist had successful being tackled during the hearing.
Some of the allegations, which he said could not be proved, are trafficking in arms, inciting violence that could result in social disturbance, and causing disunity in Nigeria.
The lawyer in a BBC Yoruba interview said, “First, the judge ruled that Sunday Igboho entered into the Benin Republic through an illegal means. They also want to investigate how Sunday Igboho conspired with others to enter the 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 the Benin Republic.’’
What you should know
Sunday Igboho and his wife, Ropo, were arrested on Monday, July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, the Republic of Benin on their way to Germany.
The Beninese court had last Thursday, adjourned Igboho’s case till Monday after his 5 lawyers failed to convince the prosecutor that he had no case to answer.
The Beninese authorities, however, released Ropo, the agitator’s wife, who was arrested along with the 48-year-old activist on Monday, July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, the Republic of Benin on their way to Germany and Igboho was returned to police custody.
