Yoruba nation activist Sunday Igboho finally free after two years in Benin

Sunday Igboho, a Yoruba nation activist who was arrested in Benin Republic in July 2021, has finally regained his freedom after two years of legal battle.

He announced on Sunday that he was now free to return to Nigeria or any other country of his choice. He said he had fulfilled all the legal conditions attached to his bail and had no more restrictions on his movement.

Igboho, whose real name is Sunday Adeyemo, was a vocal advocate for the sovereignty of the Yoruba people in Nigeria. He led a campaign to expel killer herdsmen and kidnappers from the South-West states and urged Yoruba people living in other regions to return home.

He fled Nigeria after his Ibadan residence was raided by the Department of State Services (DSS) in July 2021. The DSS claimed to have recovered weapons and ammunition from his apartment and accused him of planning to wage a violent revolution against the Nigerian government.

Igboho was arrested at the Cardinal Bernardin International Airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, while trying to board a flight to Germany. He was detained by the Beninese authorities who received an extradition request from Nigeria.

However, Igboho’s lawyers challenged the legality of his arrest and extradition, arguing that he was a political refugee who deserved protection under international law. They also alleged that he was tortured and maltreated while in custody.

After several court hearings and diplomatic interventions, Igboho was granted bail in March 2022 on some conditions, including reporting to the police twice a week, not leaving Cotonou without permission, and undergoing medical treatment at a designated hospital. He was also ordered to surrender his passport and other travel documents. He complied with these conditions for several months until he finally secured his liberty to leave Cotonou on Sunday.

Igboho expressed his gratitude to his supporters and lawyers who stood by him throughout his ordeal. He also thanked the Beninese government for respecting his human rights and allowing him to have a fair trial. He said he was looking forward to returning to Nigeria and continuing his struggle for the Yoruba nation.

“I am now free to return to Nigeria and visit any country in the world. I have fulfilled all the legal conditions attached to my bail a few years back and I am coming home to Nigeria, my country of origin, any moment from now.

“I can confirm to you that I am now free to come back to Nigeria. There is no legal encumbrance again. Even though I have been living in Cotonou for some time, I can confirm to you categorically that I have now secured the liberty to leave Cotonou for Nigeria,” Adeyemo told the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday.