YORUBA Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, was on Monday released from a Benin Republic prison.
The Beninoise authorities released Igboho to leader of the Umbrella body of Yoruba Self-determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Banji Akintoye, and his deputy, Wale Adeniran.
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In a statement by the group’s Communications Secretary, Maxwell Adeleye, Akintoye described Igboho’s release as a triumph of truth over darkness in Yorubaland.
However, a report in Vanguard quoted one of Igboho’s lawyers, Yomi Alliyu, SAN, as saying that the activist was released on health grounds.
Igboho fled Nigeria after his Ibadan residence was invaded by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on July 1, 2021.
Two of his aides were killed in the incident while 12 others were arrested.
Those arrested were later released after months in detention at the DSS headquarters in Abuja.
Declared wanted for allegedly stockpiling arms to destabilise Nigeria, an allegation he denied, Igboho escaped to Benin Republic.
He was subsequently arrested by Interpol at a Benin Republic airport on July 19, 2021, when he tried to board a Germany-bound flight.
Until his release on Monday, Igboho had been remanded in prison while being prosecuted by the Beninoise authorities for immigration-related offenses, among other charges.
The Nigerian government had been making efforts to have him extradited to Nigeria to face terrorism charges.
A reporter with the ICIR
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