JUST IN: Beninese Court Grants Sunday Igboho Access To Medical Care

Sunday Igboho

It was gathered that at least six lawyers represented the Federal Government of Nigeria in court on Monday.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Cour De’appal De Cotonou, Benin Republic, has granted embattled Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo well known as Sunday Igboho, access to medical care.

Igboho was granted access to medical care after court sessions which lasted for more than eight hours on Monday.

EKO HOT BLOG gathered that the lawyers of Sunday Igboho battled to secure bail for the Yoruba activist but the court only granted him access to medical care after the marathon sessions which ended around past 11pm (Nigerian time).

The court sessions, which started at noon, had intermittent breaks during the hearing.

It was learnt that the court proceeding took that long because the system of law in the Benin Republic was different from the system of law in Nigeria. Nigeria practises an adversarial system of justice but the Benin Republic has an inquisitorial system, a justice system in which the judge delves into the matter to enquire like the investigator, asking questions and probing the suspects.

It was further gathered that at least six lawyers represented the Federal Government of Nigeria in court on Monday.

It was learnt that the legal representatives were a combination of local and international lawyers as well as French-speaking and English-speaking lawyers.

However, speaking after the court sitting on Monday, a member of Sunday Igboho’s legal team, Pelumi Olajengbesi, expressed confidence that his client would be released.

Earlier, the court barred journalists and supporters of the Yoruba Nation agitator from the courtroom but allowed the agitator’s lawyers and his wife, Ropo, inside the courtroom.

According to PUNCH, the court investigated the allegations brought against Sunday Igboho by the Federal Government of Nigeria which claimed, amongst other things, that the activist is a gun runner who caused disunity in the country.

It would be recalled that the 48-year-old activist and his wife were arrested on Monday, July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, the Benin Republic while attempting to flee to Germany.

Sunday Igboho’s wife, Ropo, was released after the court found out that she had not committed any offence.

On his part, the embattled Yoruba Nation agitator was returned to the custody of Brigade Criminelle in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

EKO HOT BLOG further recalls that the Department of State Services (DSS) had declared Sunday Igboho wanted for allegedly stockpiling arms, an allegation he has since denied.

The DSS had raided Igboho’s Ibadan residence in the Soka area on July 1, 2021, arrested about 12 of his aides, and killed two of them in a gun battle.

The Federal Government of Nigeria later placed the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Customs Service on alert to stop the Yoruba Nation agitator from leaving the country.

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