Sunday Igboho applies for bail in Cotonou as his lawyers insist that he needs medical treatment

YORUBA nation agitator Chief Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho is hoping to be released on bail this weekend by the authorities in the Republic of Benin in Cotonou so he can get medical attention.

On July 1 last year, Mr Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, fled after his Ibadan home was raided by Nigerian 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.

Since then, the matter has been in court as the Beninoise authorities have charged  Mr Igboho with several immigration offences but the Nigerian government wants him deported. However, the Nigerian government has been unable to field any specific criminal charges against Mr Igboho, putting the Beninoise authorities in a difficult position.

Suffering from health challenges, Mr Igboho has asked for bail so he can receive medical treatment.  Mr 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.

He was trying to avoid being arrested by officials of the Nigerian Department of State Services, which had declared him wanted. This was after a raid of his house in Ibadan, during which two persons were killed, his cars and house vandalised.

 While the wife was later released, Mr Igboho was further detained for breaching the country’s immigration laws. Ibrahim Salami, a law professor, said Mr Igboho was further remanded to allow the police conduct a thorough investigation into the charge, of illegal migration, dubious connivance with immigration officers and an attempt to cause civil unrest.