Sunday Igboho escaped in Benin, re-arrested - ITREALMS

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Conflicting reports late Tuesday indicated that embattled Yoruba Nation Agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho was released and flown to Germany, but ITREALMS gathered late same he is still being held by the Beninoise authorities.

ITREALMS recalls that Sunday Igboho was arrested at an airport in Cotonou on Monday night enroute Germany.

In a related development a group in the agitation, the Yoruba Nation Global Directorate had issued a press statement Tuesday that Sunday Igboho was released and is headed to Germany eventually.

In another development, ITREALMS gathered that Sunday Igboho had escaped from the airport briefly, but was lured back by the travel agent that 'coast is clear,' where he was re-arrested Tuesday night.

The Nation, however, reported that, Ilana Omo Odua, the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups, led by Professor Wale Adeniran denied Igboho’s release, rather they confirmed Sunday was still under detention in a zoom conversation organised by Heritage Multimedia TV monitored by The Nation’s correspondent on Tuesday evening.

“Adeniran, a pioneer Commissioner of Education in Osun State and former Director of Institute of African Studies at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, refuted the trending reports that he has been released.

“Why should people be putting out false information that he has been released which is injurious to this struggle and to the welfare and wellbeing of Igboho?”

Adeniran disclosed four international lawyers from Benin Republic, Nigeria, France, Britain are on the case but when they saw the trending news, they had to call him to confirm.

“When the lawyers saw the false information, they relaxed, I had to tell them it is false. So can you see the damage,” he said.

Equally confirming that the Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, is still in detention, his Lead counsel Chief Yomi Alliyu ( SAN), decried the inhuman treatment to his client.

Speaking with The PUNCH on Tuesday night, Chief Alliyu said Igboho’s wife, Ropo, a German citizen, who was arrested together with the activist, was also kept in a separate cell by the police in the neighbouring country.

“They chained him in the cell where they put him in Cotonou. There was a fracas at the airport yesterday when he was arrested. They hit him in the hand and that same hand was handcuffed, he is in pains and he was weeping like a child when I called, I heard him.

ALSO READ: Sunday Igboho released, heads out to Germany - ITREALMS

“The wife too was put in a separate cell but they didn’t chain the wife. He was crying, the wife was crying too cease he was writhing in pains seriously. We only pray they don’t pay anybody to kill him. You don’t put somebody in cell and still chain the person.

“You know he sustained injury and they didn’t take him to hospital for treatment. We heard that he is appearing in court tomorrow but I don’t know whether they will carry it out.”

ITREALMS recollects that Igboho and his wife were arrested at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic around 8pm on Monday. They were about to catch a flight to Germany before Interpol apprehended them.

*Ayo Midele with additional reports from The Nation and The Punch/Editor