Sunday Igboho released from Beninese custody, set to return to Nigeria

Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has been granted his freedom by the authorities in Benin Republic.

The embattled activist, who had been facing legal proceedings, revealed on Sunday that he was now legally able to leave Cotonou, the capital of Benin Republic, and travel to Nigeria and other countries.

In his statement to the Nigerian Tribune, Sunday Igboho declared, “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.”

He went on to say, “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.”

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This marks a significant development for Sunday Igboho, who had been entangled in legal proceedings for two years in Benin Republic. His legal troubles began when he declared the sovereignty of the Yoruba Nation in March 2021.

He initiated a campaign to expel killer herdsmen and kidnappers from the South-Western states and called on Yoruba people residing in areas predominantly occupied by Hausa/Fulani or Igbo communities to return to their homeland.

However, in July 2021, he fled Nigeria following a late-night raid on his Ibadan residence by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). The raid resulted in at least one fatality, and some of his property was vandalised.

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The DSS claimed to have discovered seven AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, 5,000 rounds of ammunition, charms, and other weapons in his apartment during the invasion.

The Court of Appeal later overturned the judgement in August 2022. Nevertheless, Sunday Igboho’s legal battles persisted. He was subsequently apprehended at the Cardinal Bernardin International Airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic, while attempting to flee to Germany.

Despite efforts by the former President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to repatriate him to Nigeria, those attempts were ultimately unsuccessful.

With his newfound legal freedom, Sunday Igboho is poised to return to Nigeria, leaving behind a painful chapter in his journey as a Yoruba nation agitator.