Sunday Igboho, a prominent Yoruba activist, has stated that he fled Nigeria to avoid being killed.
The DSS issued an arrest warrant for Igboho on July 1 after a raid on his Ibadan home. On July 19, he was apprehended in Benin Republic while attempting to fly to Germany with his wife. He has been charged and arraigned in Cotonou's courts.
While speaking to the Nation about what happened in court on Monday, July 27, Igboho's lawyer, David Ibrahim Salami, said;
"While defending himself on the criminal allegations put on his head by Nigeria, Igboho told the judges that he had never been tried for any crime in his life.
When the judge asked him how and when he entered the Benin Republic, who housed him and who took him to the airport, Igboho told the court that his coming to the Benin Republic was to flee from his traducers who wanted to kill him in Nigeria. He stressed that he spent less than one day in Cotonou before attempting to travel to Germany"
The lawyer spoke further
“What amazed me is the fact that the judge was explicit that Igboho’s continued detention is not as a result of his issues with Nigeria, that he is being sent to prison because of infractions committed here in the Benin Republic.”
Igboho was sent to prison following the court session, according to Salami, to enable for an inquiry into how and why he arrived in Cotonou. According to him, no date has been set for the trial to resume since authorities need time to examine how Igboho entered the nation.
He explained that under Benin Republic law, Igboho can be released on bond pending the conclusion of the investigation. Salami explained why the trial is being held behind closed doors, saying that the judgment will be read in open court once the investigations are completed.
He said the main objective today is to figure out whether the beleaguered activist entered Cotonou legally or illegally, as well as what his mission was.
The Nigerian government has yet to file any case against Igboho before the Benin republic court, according to his legal counsel.
“We have also not seen any written complaints from Nigeria being placed before the court. It is a case between the Benin Republic and Sunday Igboho – nothing more” he explained.
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