Why Extradition of Igboho Is Illegal — Lawyer

A lead counsel to Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo aka “Sunday Igboho”, has given some legal reasons as to how the extradition move by the Nigerian Federal Government may be illegal.

The lead counsel, Yomi Alliyu (SAN), in his argument said, “The Extradition Treaty of 1984 between Togo, Nigeria, Ghana and Republic of Benin excluded political fugitives. It also states that where the fugitive will not get justice because of discrimination and/or undue delay in prosecution the host country should not release the fugitive.

“Now, Article 20 of African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights to which the four countries are signatories made agitation for self-determination a fundamental right to be protected by all countries. This made Chief Sunday Adeyemo a political offender who cannot be deported and/or extradited by the good people of the Republic of Benin for any reason.”

The senior advocate, who described the arrest of Igboho as shocking, urged the government of Germany, Benin Republic and the international community “to rise up and curb the impunity of the Nigerian Government by refusing any application for extradition of our Client who already has application before the International Criminal Court duly acknowledged”.

Aliyu in a statement also said; “Again, another wife of our client, Mrs Ropo Adeyemo, a German citizen, has been arrested together with her husband in Cotonou. What offence has she committed to warrant this?

“The INTERPOL and Benin Republic should be aware of the act of savagery committed in his client’s house in the wee hours of 1st July 2021, between 1.00 am and 3.00 am; shooting their way through and killing two people in the process and maliciously damaging his properties in the course of that illegal invasion.

“The invading DSS officers did not state any reason for their invasion to our client (Igboho) before or during the invasion. They later paraded 13 people, arms and ammunition which our client denied to be his as he is a peaceful campaigner for self-determination and it is on good record that the guns and ammunitions displayed were the same displayed in 2013 in another instance.

“This could be seen on 2013 Facebook though DSS has dismissed this on their website. But what they cannot deny is that when they were leaving our client’s house they left with two corpses and people arrested and nothing more except two guns belonging to the police escorts of Mr Adisa Saheed Olalekan.

“One of the people they killed was one Mr Olalekan of Oladams Motors, Osogbo, who came to Sunday Igboho’s house to discuss auto business. He came with two police escorts. Though the policemen were not among the people paraded to the public, their guns were among those displayed.

“Secondly, that he cannot get justice or even be killed is apparent in how those arrested in his house were detained for more than 21days now without access to their lawyers. Even the wife among them could not change her undies for 21 days. Which inhuman treatment can be more this?

“We urge the good government of the Republic of Benin and the international community, especially Germany, to rise and curb the impunity of the Nigerian Government by refusing any application for extradition of our client, who already has an application before the ICC duly acknowledged.”

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