20 facts you should know about Sunday Igboho's ongoing trial in Benin Republic

Sunday Igboho and background showing the court premises in Benin Republic 

1. Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho) is a Yoruba youth leader who has been campaigning against Fulani herdsmen operating within southwest Nigeria because of rising cases of killings allegedly perpetrated by them on Yoruba farmers in the hinterlands. 

2. He has also recently emerged as a strong voice calling for a referendum to create an independent "Yoruba Nation" from Nigeria. He has commanded very large crowds during peaceful rallies organized by him for the Ilana Omo Oodua umbrella group of Yoruba Nation activists in some major southwest cities.

3. A surprise raid was carried out on his Ibadan residence by "a joint team of operatives" including those from the Department of State Services (DSS) on July 01, 2021, according to DSS spokesman Dr. Peter Afunanya. But Igboho escaped from the premises while men suspected to be his guards engaged the security operatives in an hour-long gun fight, says Afunanya.

4. After subduing Igboho's suspected guards, Afunanya reported that the operatives searched the house and retrieved guns, bullets, knives, cash, charms, money, a German residence card, and Igboho's international passport. He was consequently accused of arms trafficking, and declared wanted by the DSS. 

5. Igboho denied being the owner of the said arms and ammunition, and instead claimed that the DSS operatives had planted them in his home during the surprise raid. 

6. After the DSS raid on his home, and his escape, the whereabouts of Igboho was unknown until July 19th, when he was arrested at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic on his way to Germany with his wife, Ropo. The arrest was the result of a coordinated effort involving the Republican Police and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). Igboho and his wife were kept in a cell at the Brigade Criminelle facility in Cotonou. 

7. They were arraigned before a judge at the Cour D’Appel De Cotonou last Thursday, 22nd July for the first time. Details of what transpired in court that day are sketchy, but in a nutshell, Igboho's wife was released by the court while the man was remanded in the custody of the Brigade Criminelle. 

8. Immigration-related complaints/charges were hanging around Igboho. Since it was publicly known that his international passport had been taken by the DSS during the raid at his home, how Igboho was able to cross the Nigerian border into Benin Republic and was about to board an Air France flight to Germany became the subject of query by authorities in the French-speaking country. 

9. During the court hearing on Thursday, the Nigerian government failed to bring any extradition charges against him, but instead made complaints against him to the court related to gun running and "engaging in acts aimed at dividing Nigeria". They hence asked the court to keep him further in custody. The case was adjourned till the next day (Friday), but it did not hold as it was further shifted to Monday, 28th July.

10. On Monday, the court hearing was conducted behind closed doors. Only the lawyers involved, his wife, and other select few were allowed entry into the court. Journalists, and numerous Igboho supporters who went to show solidarity during the trial, were all barred from witnessing it.

11. After Monday's trial, one of Igboho's lawyers, Prof. Ibrahim Salami, confirmed to The Punch that during the trial, fresh charges were brought against Igboho by authorities of Benin Republic. The charges included "illegal migration, dubious connivance with immigration officers and an attempt to cause civil unrest".

12. Benin Republic runs an inquisitorial system of justice (different from Nigeria's adversarial system). This means that in court, the judge is actively involved, like an investigator, in questioning the suspect and probing to determine the facts of the case. Hence, the judge questioned Igboho during the about thirteen (13) hours long hearing, says The Punch.

13. According to Salami, in his responses to the judge's interrogations, Igboho denied the charges against him as false. "He explained that he did not do anything illegal in Nigeria. He clarified that Nigeria has never charged him to court or jailed him for any offence, he was never arrested for any offence or invited to Police Station. Igboho said he never had any criminal record in Nigeria. He told the judge that the Nigerian government was after him because he was defending the Yoruba race against killer Fulani herdsmen. He said that he ran away from Nigeria because the government was after his life.", Salami said, according to The Punch.

14. “He was asked when he got to benin, how he got in and how long. Igboho replied that he left Nigeria on Sunday, got to Benin on Monday and attempted to leave Monday night to Germany before he was arrested.", said Salami to The Punch.

15. According to Igboho's lawyer, Salami, the judge said that he was not arrested because he committed any offence, but because he breached Benin's rules and should be investigated.

16. Igboho’s lawyers battled to secure bail for him, but the court only granted him access to medical care.

17. According to The Punch, a combination of at least six local and international lawyers represented the Nigerian government in court on Monday.

18. Also, it was reported that the court returned Igboho to police custody, and ordered that he be transfered from the Bridgade Criminelle facility to another facility (which is not named), due to complaints made by his lawyers that his fundamental human rights were being abused at that facility, as he was in handcuffs and leg chains, and had difficulty eating and using the toilet. It is suspected that he will be moved to Cotonou Civil Prison.

19. The Federal Government of Nigeria has yet to bring any extradition charges against Igboho in court as at the end of court hearing on Monday. There was no adjournment date for the trial, as the police is said to be investigating the charges against him. 

20. The Ooni of Ife and Olubadan of Ibadan sent a delegation for Monday's court hearing at Benin Republic. The Ooni had earlier set up a committee to look into Igboho's arrest since last week. 

Credit: The Punch, Premium Times

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