Sunday Igboho secures court ruling preventing Nigeria's security agencies from arresting him

YORUBA Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo has won a major victory in his ongoing battle with the Nigerian government after an Oyo State high court granted an ex-parte motion stopping the security agencies from arresting him.

On July 1, Mr Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, fled after his Ibadan home was raided by security forces who killed two of his aides and arrested a further 13. Mr Igboho subsequently turned up in Benin Republic but was arrested at Cotonou airport while he was trying to board a plane to Germany and is currently being charged with an array of immigration offences.

Nigeria is desperately trying to get Mr Igboho extradited but his lawyers are fighting the extradition and are confident that his application for asylum in the UK should weigh in his favour. Today, a court in Ibadan restrained the Department of State Security (DSS) and Nigeria's attorney-general from arresting, intimidating, harassing or blocking the bank accounts of Mr Igboho.

Justice Ladiean Akintola gave the order following an ex-parte motion moved by Mr Igboho's lawyer Yomi Aliu. After issuing the restraining order, Justice Akintola then adjourned the main suit until August 18.

Mr Aliu said: “The court has ordered that he must not be arrested, detained, killed in the next 14 days. The account also said that his account should not be blocked.”

It is believed that Benin Republic is not ready to engage in a diplomatic crisis with Nigeria, so may succumb to pressure and hand Mr Igboho over but his  lawyers say that will be against international law. With the latest ruling, even if Mr Igboho is extradited, the authorities cannot arrest him for now.