Sunday Igboho: Sunday Adeyemo, Benin Republic extradition of Nigerian separatist leader – wetin dey stop am?

Sunday Igboho

SIAF
Once a little-known car salesman, Sunday Igboho don emerge as national figure for Nigeria

One court for Benin don order make dem move Nigerian separatist leader wey dey di kontri hand go prison from police custody.

Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, dey face accuse say e enter di kontri illegally and plan to cause trouble but e deny di charges.

Dem arrest am for Benin airport last week based on Nigeria request.

But di Nigerian authorities don dey silent since e arrest and dem never make any formal extradition request.

Instead, dem dey investigate now for Benin for criminal associations there and e make second court appearance for Cotonou court on Monday.

Why dem pick am up forBenin?

Over one week ago na im dem arrest am for alongside im wife. Dem later release her.

Reports say dem bin dey go Germany wia im wife be citizen.

Nigeria accuse oga Adeyemo say im dey gada weapons, dey call for break-up of di kontri and dey ginger ethnic killings.

But im supporters tok say im be political prisoner wey dey face persecution for defending e Yoruba people wey Fulani herdsmen dey attack.

Why e leave Nigeria?

Im run from di kontri after raid for e house by Nigeria secret police for early July wia two of im associates die.

Dem never take di Twelve others wey dem arrest during di raid go court.

In recent weeks, Nigeria don dey crack down on separatist activists. For late June, Nnamdi Kanu, wey want breakaway state of Biafra for di south-east, dem detain am for Nigeria.

Dem arrest for foreign kontri come bring am back to Nigeria.

Im lawyers allege say dem abduct am for Kenya wia dem torture am but authorities there don deny di accusations.

Dem fit extradite am from Benin?

Oga Adeyemo legal team say Nigeria bin dey hope for repeat of quick extradition of their client wen dem arrest am for Cotonou. Dem say private jet bin dey fuelled and ready to fly am across di border.

But unlike for Kanu case, authorities for Benin come involve.

One 1984 extradition treaty between West African neighbours: Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Ghana, no include pipo wey dey wanted for political reasons.

Yoruba Nation protesters in London

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Since di arrest of Sunday Igboho, protests for e release don happun for London

Adeyemo representatives argue say im fall within dis category as im call for self-rule dey protected under di charter of di African Union (AU).

Also, Nigeria and Benin dey part of di 15-kontri Economic Community of West Africa States (Ecowas), dis na regional body with far reaching laws on trade and legal matters.

Under di Ecowas extradition convention wey dey binding on Benin, request must come from member kontri wey go list out di offences against suspect wey dey wanted for e home kontri.

Only court fit den decide di extradition request.

But extradition request bin dey?

Nigeria don face accuse say dem dey try to twist di hand of smaller West African neighbour into releasing Adeyemo without making a case in court.

Prominent Nigerian lawyer, Femi Falana, tell BBC say Nigerian embassy write letter to di authorities for Benin wit request to extradite Adeyemo. But dis no dey part of di legal process.

“Nigerian government bin ask outside di law,” im tok.

Im believe say Nigeria, wey be twice di size of Benin in size and economy, bin dey try to use dia political influence to get di suspect returned.