The Nigerian government is processing the extradition of Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
Igboho was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic on July 19 after he fled Nigeria when his Ibadan home was invaded by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS).
The Yoruba separatist leader is currently in detention in Benin Republic but the Punch reports that the DSS has disclosed that efforts are being made to bring him back to Nigeria.
A DSS operative Johnson Oluwole stated this in an affidavit presented before an Ibadan high court in Ibadan on Monday, November 22.
The affidavit titled ‘Applicants affidavit in support of its motion on notice for a stay of execution of the judgement of this suit No/M/435/2021 and an injunction pending the determination of the pending appeal’ partly reads, “That it is a fact that the applicant Chief Sunday Igboho has been declared a fugitive by the Nigerian Police Force sometimes in June 2021.
“That it is a notorious fact that the applicant was arrested on July 19 2021, and is currently in the custody of the Beninese security agents undergoing extradition procedure back to Nigeria.
“That it is a fact that it will be inequitable for this honorable court to refuse this application for stay against the background that the applicant is a fugitive undergoing extradition processing in Benin Republic.”
Igboho, through his lawyer Yomi Aliyu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had filed a suit against the DSS before the Ibadan high court.
The court ordered the DSS to pay Igboho the sum of N20 billion naira as exemplary damages.
Meanwhile, Pelumi Olajengbesi, one of the lawyers of the Yoruba Nation agitator, have urged Yoruba leaders to stand by Igboho.
The lawyer said Yoruba elders should emulate their Igbo counterparts who recently visited President Muhammadu Buhari to ask for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.
A reporter with the ICIR
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