LEADER of the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups known as Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO), Banji Akintoye, says efforts are being made to stop the extradition of Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, following his arrest in the Republic of Benin.
Akintoye, who confirmed the arrest of Igboho in a statement issued by his Communications Manager Maxwell Adeleye, said that he was working with other ‘Yoruba patriots’ to ensure that no harm was done the self-acclaimed Yoruba activist.
While expressing hope that Benin would respect the rights of Igboho, Akintoye noted that Igboho had not committed any crime that warranted his arrest.
“I and other Yoruba Patriots who are immediately available are now working to provide the assistance necessary to ensure that nobody will be able to do to him anything unlawful or primitive and to prevent him from being extradited into Nigeria which is strongly possible,” he said.
“Fortunately, Benin Republic is reliably a land of law where the authorities responsibly obey the law. We have secured the services of a leading and highly respected lawyer whom we can confidently rely on.”
He called on ‘Yoruba Nation’ at home and abroad to stand strong by resolving that neither Sunday Igboho nor any other Yoruba person would henceforth be subjected to any inhuman or dehumanising treatment of any kind.
Akintoye added that Igboho’s travail in the hands of the Nigerian authorities were because he stood to defend his people that were being unjustly killed and whose livelihoods were being destroyed by violent herders.
“For a start, we must all see to it now that Sunday Ighoho will get his freedom back so as to be able to move and operate as a free person. We all know he has committed no crime.
“We know that some people are trying to suppress or even eliminate him only because he stood up to defend his kinsmen, women and children who are being massively killed and raped in their ancestral homeland; who are having their assets and means of livelihood destroyed, and who are facing ethnic cleansing and even genocide without having the benefit of protection by the rulers of their country.
“We know, furthermore, that for the protection of his people who are being brutalized, he has joined hands with many of his brethren to take the legally appropriate step, namely to seek the intervention of the International Criminal Court,” Akintoye said.
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