Sunday Igboho Will Be Released Soon, Says Counsel

Segun James

The Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo (a.k.a Sunday Igboho) will soon be released from detention in Benin Republic, an Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has said.

He made this known in a Facebook post on Sunday, scolding Yoruba leaders for allegedly being selfish. Igboho had spent over 200 days in Benin Republic detention since he was arrested at Cotonou airport en route to Germany alongside his wife in July 2020.

Olajengbesi, who secured the release of 12 Igboho’s aides arrested by operatives of the Department of State Service, noted that Igboho’s release would attract wild jubilation.

“Chief Sunday Igboho will be out very soon and there will be massive jubilation across the entire Yorubaland.
“He is no doubt a courageous man. This is very authoritative just that our Yoruba leaders should stop being selfish and allow good to prevail,” the lawyer said.

This is coming barely 48 hours after members of Agbekoya Worldwide asked the authorities of Benin Republic to free Igboho or they would use traditional means to get him out.
The President, Agbekoya Worldwide, Kamorudeen Okiki, who spoke in Osogbo on Thursday, said, “Sunday Igboho is not a criminal. We will continue to say that.

“We know that it is the Federal Government that is holding Igboho in Benin Republic, but we are telling Benin Republic authorities now to legally release him using their court.
“They should release him legally and quickly or we will use our traditional means and powers to take Igboho out of the court.”
Afenifere had called on international human rights organisations to get freedom for the embattled Yoruba Nation agitator.

The acting leader of the group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, had made the call for international intervention to ensure the release of the imprisoned agitator during Afenifere’s first annual general meeting in the year.

Adebanjo had described 49-year-old Igboho as a prisoner of conscience. A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting read in part, “The meeting considered Sunday Adeyemo Igboho as a Prisoner of Conscience. Afenifere called on all men and women of conscience, particularly the international community to which human rights and freedom are abiding faith, to prevail on the Governments of Nigeria and Benin Republic to release Sunday Igboho forthwith.

“Not only that, the Federal Government should also pay Sunday Igboho the damages awarded to him by the court upon the savage attack on his person and property.”

Afenifere had also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to free the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, “even if on political consideration as happened in the case of Asari Dokubo under the then President Olusegun Obasanjo”.