Why Sunday Igboho hasn’t been released from detention

The battle to get Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, released from detention is delayed by the vacation embarked upon by judges in Benin Republic.

This is according to the spokesperson for the Umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, Maxwell Adeleye, on Tuesday.

The PUNCH had reported that the Beninese Court had ordered that Sunday Igboho should be returned to prison custody when he appeared before the court on July 27.

Also, prosecutors were said to have raised fresh charges against the activist during the last sitting.

Sunday Igboho’s lawyers had said the Yoruba Nation agitator was further remanded to allow police to conduct a thorough investigation into the charges, which included illegal migration, dubious connivance with immigration officers, and an attempt to cause civil unrest.

They explained that the previous allegations that warranted placing Igboho on a watchlist had successfully being tackled.

Some of the allegations, which he said could not be proved, are trafficking in arms, inciting violence that could result in social disturbance, and causing disunity in Nigeria.

When contacted on the telephone, Maxwell explained that Igboho’s legal team led by Olusegun Falola has prepared “everything necessary” to guarantee his release.

He explained that the vacation by judges in the country delayed the activist’s release.

The PUNCH learnt that the judges would resume on September 15 from vacation.

“The judges are on vacation. They are expected to hear his case after the resumption and he should be freed. There was no vacation judge to hear the case. It is not like Nigeria where you have vacation judges,” he added.

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