The DSS had failed to produce the suspects in court twice.
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) finally shepherded some supporters of Sunday Igboho to a courtroom, following repeated warnings by the Judge.
The supporters were arrested during a raid of Igboho’s home on July 1, 2021. The DSS said it uncovered weapons inside the house during the raid.
However, journalists were barred from covering proceedings as the supporters filed into the courtroom on Monday.
The supporters had been moved from Oyo to Abuja following the raid.
Through their lawyer, Pelumi Olajemgbesi, the suspects had filed an application asking the court to “inquire into the circumstances constituting grounds of their arrest and detention since July 2, 2021, and where it deems fit admit applicants on bail.”
The Judge, Obiora Egwatu, had ruled that there was merit in the application and ordered the DSS to produce the applicants in court on July 29.
However, the DSS failed to produce the applicants in court on the date fixed.
On July 29, the judge restated his earlier order and adjourned the case for August 2.
However, only eight of the 12 suspects were brought to court on Monday, August 2.
Speaking to journalists immediately after the court session, Olajemgbese said the court has granted them leave to amend their processes.
“We discovered that there are some errors in our document which we need to correct.
“DSS did not come to court with all the 12 people arrested in Igboho’s house. They came here with just eight of them. Even when we visited the DSS facility, we were only allowed to see four of them,” Olajemgbese said.
BREAKING: Crowds, tension as Igboho arrives court for commencement of trial
Yoruba Nation chief campaugner, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, has arrived the Cour De’appal De Cotonou, ahead of his arraignment by the authorities of Benin Republic for immigration-related offences, according to reports.
One of the reports, by SaharaReporters, quoted an unnamed source as disclosing that “Igboho may be arraigned for passport-related offenses”, adding: “His Nigerian lawyers are here already. Yoruba leaders in the Benin Republic have been supportive as well.”
Another report by The Nation said that hordes of Igboho’s supporters arrived the court premises hours ahead of the commencement of proceedings, which ere yet to start as at the time of this report.
Benin had accused Igboho, who was arrested at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport, Cotonou, with his wife on their way to Germany on Monday night.
Meanwhile, Igboho’s spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, in a live update on early Thursday sounded confident that the trial would go in favour of his principal.
He said: “I can confirm, he will have the opportunity to be heard at the Benin Republic court, they respect international law. It will be held today (Thursday) by God’s grace . . .
“The court will determine the fate of the extradition and we’ll also have the opportunity to present our case especially on the personality of Igboho.
“We know the magnitude of what the Nigerian government is trying to do if they try to get hold of Igboho but they will fail, by God’s grace
“Their intention was to capture him (Igboho), but God fought for him,” he said.
Igboho was declared wanted by Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS), earlier in July after his Ibadan house in Oyo State was raided on July 1, 2021 by the operatives of the secret police.
The protesters want to show the world the kind of person Igboho is.
A protest is underway in Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria, over the arrest of Yoruba Nation separatist Sunday Igboho.
Igboho was arrested alongside his wife, Ropo, in Benin Republic on July 19 and remains in the custody of that nation’s police, pending his extradition to Nigeria.
Ropo is a German citizen; and the couple was trying to catch a flight to Germany when they were accosted and picked up.
Igboho’s home was raided by gun wielding operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on July 1, and a cache of weapons uncovered, just hours before a secessionist-themed rally in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital and most populous city.
“Emergency, emergency, emergency; please, we beg all agitators to converge at the Chief Sunday Igboho’s House for a peaceful demonstration to show the world the kind of person he is as one of the conditions given for his release.
“Please, let’s all be at his house in Soka, Ibadan, before 12pm today. Thanks and God bless. Yoruba Nation now now now,” a statement from Olayomi Koiki, Igboho’s spokesperson, reads.
During an earlier Live Facebook broadcast, Koiki had said: “We are not going to allow the government to intimidate us. We are not going to allow the federal government and politicians to deceive us.
“We must remain strong and remain calm as we get freedom for Chief Sunday Igboho and the Yoruba race.”
SUNDAY IGBOHO HAS BEEN CRYING LIKE A BABY SINCE HIS ARREST
His lawyer says Igboho is being tortured in Benin Republic jail.
Yoruba Nation protagonist, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, has been weeping like a child while in the custody of the Benin Republic police, his lawyer, Chief Yomi Aliyu ( SAN), says.
Igboho was arrested late Monday, July 19, 2021 in neighbouring Benin, after he escaped law enforcement in Nigeria following a brutal raid of his home on July 1
The separatist was Germany-bound when he was arrested.
Aliyu tells Punch Newspaper that Igboho is now being tortured by his captors and routinely dehumanised.
“They chained him in the cell where they put him in Cotonou. There was a fracas at the airport yesterday when he was arrested.
“They hit him in the hand and that same hand was handcuffed, he is in pains and he was weeping like a child when I called. I heard him.
“The wife, too, was put in a separate cell but they didn’t chain the wife.
“He was crying, the wife was crying, too, as he was writhing in pains seriously. We only pray they don’t pay anybody to kill him. You don’t put somebody in cell and still chain the person.
iGBOHO regains Freedom,after Western diplomats mount pressure on Benin Republic, Fly to Germany
Igboho regains Freedom,after Western diplomats mount pressure on Benin Republic, Fly to Germany
Daniel Madele, Porto Novo
Arrested Yoruba activist, Chief Sunday Igboho has been released.
A reliable source told Irohinoodua that Igboho is on his way to Germany where he is expected to meet his family members
Sources said his release was party due to Western countries involving Britain, Canada, France, Germany and the United States mounting intense pressure on the Government of Benin Republic not to hand over Chief Sunday Adeyemo, (Igboho) to the Nigerian authorities.
Sources in Cotonue hinted Irohinoodua that the Ambassadors of some Western nations reached out to the authorities of Benin Republic asking him not to hand over Chief Adeyemo to the Nigerian government.
They hinge their arguments on strong suspicion that Igboho will not get justice if returned to his home country.
“We not not think returning Igboho to Nigeria will set standards for Benin Republic in line with global human rights best practices’a diplomat told our correspondent in Benin Republic
Meanwhile,a lawyer, Mr Leesi Ebenezer Olarewaju based in the United States who is one of those representing Chief Adeyemo said there are strong indications Benin Republic will not transfer Igboho to Nigeria.
Olanrewaju said the authorities of the International Police and the Government of the Republic of Benin are not willing to return Igboho to Nigeria.
He said under international laws, Igboho is not seen to have committed any crime but merely fighting for self determination which is recognised under international law
He said Benin arrested Igboho based on ‘alarm’ raised by Nigeria.
He said the British and German governments already have shown interest in the case
He said “We are on top of the situation right now. We have successfully notified the British government on the dangers of letting Sunday Adeyemo returned to Nigeria where his life is at risk. We believe that before the end of today, BRITAIN would have granted his request for asylum in good faith.”
In 1995, a similar incidence involving Prof Adesegun Banjo and his wife Ngozi played out when they were arrested by Beninoise authorities on charges of insurgency. The government of late Gen Sani Abacha exerted so much pressure on Benin Republic including offer of 1million dollars. However, western nations put pressure on the Goverment of Benin which later released Adebanjo and his wife. The two later escaped to Ghana and later to Zimbabwe.
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