The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Igboho

  • Sunday Igboho’s Lawyer Resigns

     

    Pelumi Olajengbesi, one of the Nigeria-based lawyers for a self-determination campaigner, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, has resigned from his client’s legal team.

     

    Olajengbesi, the managing partner, Law Corridor, in a terse statement yesterday on his official Facebook page, announced his registration.

     

    This is happening amid backlash from the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO), that the Abuja-based lawyer does not speak for Igboho or is involved in the Yoruba Nation self-determination struggle.

     

    He said: “This is to officially announce my resignation as a counsel involved further in any matter relating to Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho and the Yoruba Nation agitators.

     

    “As a firm, we are satisfied with our little best in contributing to providing legal solutions and representations to Igboho and associated Yoruba Nation agitators as far as ensuring the protection and enforcement of their rights in this matter.

     

    “We were able to secure the release of 12 persons brutally and unlawfully arrested by the reckless State Security Service (SSS), and also secured the release of an innocent herbalist equally unlawfully arrested and detained by the SSS. We have two persons with ongoing terrorism trials at the Federal High Court and our firm will continue and close the trial, having begun their matter.

     

    “While thanking everyone, particularly Chief Yomi Aliyu, SAN, for the opportunity and freehand service, Dr. Olasupo Ojo for his fair leadership and Chief Femi Falana for allowing his industry to be tapped and for the moral support, I most respectfully wish to now step aside.

     

    “I have stated ab initio that the scope of my work will only be within the purview of my professional duty as a lawyer to Igboho and his aides. I am a strong believer in constitutional democracy, civil liberty and human rights, which include the right to self-determination, but I am neither a Yoruba nation agitator nor a member of any like organisation.

     

    “My reaction to Prof. Akintoye was not to undermine the Yoruba struggle, but is based off my personal convictions, which I am entitled to. I do hope my friends in the struggle will allow me enjoy the benefit of my right to such a choice as a person of thought and conscience.”

     

    Reacting to the resignation last night, the Ilana Omo Oodua said nobody hired Olajengbesi in the first instance.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.thenationonlineng.com

  • Just In: Kanu is in Nigeria and we’re fighting under the same circumstances; let them take me to Nigeria-Sunday Igboho

    Just In: Kanu is in Nigeria and we’re fighting under the same circumstances; let them take me to Nigeria-Sunday Igboho

    Yoruba Nation activist Sunday ‘Igboho’ Adeyemo has accused Ibrahim Salami, one of his lawyers, of disrespecting him amid his legal struggle to wriggle out of the Benin Republic detention and avoid extradition to Nigeria.

    He said the lawyer kept him waiting for 15 minutes to attend to someone else.

    “He didn’t give me respect at all.,” said Igboho.

    In a 15-minute audio recording published by Sahara Reporters, Mr Adeyemo said that he left angrily to eat when his lawyer was attending to some people rather than him.

    “I told him (lawyer) I was hungry and had to eat, and he told me to go. I told him to see me. It wasn’t because of those people that he came here now,” the activist complained. “I was waiting for him for 15 minutes. If he had told those people to give him time to attend to his client, that one would not have said anything because he knew you came there because of me.”

    In the leaked audio, Igboho said he felt abandoned and disappointed.

    “But he abandoned me where I was. I didn’t know him before now; I wasn’t expecting him at all. I didn’t know it was Salami that lawyer Falola would be sending,” the Yoruba Nation activist fleeing from President Muhammadu Buhari regime’s secret police added. “I’m not a young boy now; I’ll be 50 years (old) by October this year. I might have a small body, but God answered my prayers. I’m a man, and I know my worth.”

    Referring to Nnamdi Kanu’s extraction to Nigeria, Mr Adeyemo pointed out that he was under similar conditions. He added, “I have accepted my fate. I do not fear anything except God. I will ask the judge if he is God. If they decide to take me back to Nigeria, let them take me there. Kanu is in Nigeria, and we are fighting under the same circumstances. It is only fear, but if there is God there, let them bring me to Nigeria.”

    An upset Igboho said the Beninois lawyers representing him were incompetent despite collecting millions of naira to defend him.

    “The lawyers that can’t convince a judge to release me. See how many they are: about 10 of them. Are those ones lawyers?” lamented Igboho. “The lawyers that can’t let them remove handcuffs from my hands for seven days until Falola came. It wasn’t small money that they collected. Some collected N5 million, some N4 million.”

    In a frustrated tone, he further disclosed, “I don’t need any information from them. I told my wife when she visited me recently: any information that can’t take me out of here is useless.”

    In the leaked audio recording, Igboho also revealed how he confronted Beninois prison officers.

    “If I get angry with anyone, the person won’t be able to hold me. The day I confronted them here in prison, they were shocked,” said Igboho, “I told them to either kill me or change my cell and that I didn’t care if they would open fire on me. They had no option than to change my cell.”

    The Interpol arrested Igboho and his Germany-based wife at Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou on July 20, trying to board a flight to Germany.

    Mr Igboho was declared wanted by the State Security Service after the operatives violently raided his Ibadan home killing at least two of his associates.

     

  • DSS asks Abuja court to nullify bail granted to Igboho’s associates

     

    The Abuja division of Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has been asked to nullify the bail earlier granted to four of the 12 detained associates of embattled Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, also called Sunday Igboho.

    Justice Obiora Egwuatu had, last Wednesday, granted bail to the 12 detainees who had spent five weeks in the custody of the DSS.

    They were arrested on July 1, 2021, at Igboho’s Ibadan residence raided by DSS operatives around 1am.

     

    But, in a fresh motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/647/2021 and filed on Monday, the Department of State Security Service (DSS), specifically urged the court to set aside the bail granted to Amudat Babatunde, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Oyetunji, and Bamidele Sunday.

     

    The motion, which was filed by counsel to the DSS, Idowu Awo, urged Justice Obiora Egwuatu to remand the four detainees “pending their arraignment during court vacation.”

     

     

     

    However, counsel to the detainees, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has described the fresh application by the DSS was “laughable”.

     

    “We have seen the new application filed by the DSS to continue the incarceration of innocent people who have been in their custody for over a month. It is laughable and turned logic upside down that after over a month in the DSS custody, the DSS still needs more days to punish them. I can assure you this will fail,” he said.

     

    Justice Obiora Egwuatu admitted four of them to bail in the sum of N10 million each with two sureties in the like sum, while the remaining eight were granted bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety each.

     

    The judge said the sureties, who must be resident in Abuja and have properties, must swear to an affidavit of means.

     

    One of the sureties, the court held, must be an employee of the federal government on grade level 12 and above.

     

    The judge also ordered that the title deeds of the said property must be verified by the court registrar and the DSS, in addition to evidence of three years tax payment.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

     

  • Olubadan: I’m not folding my arms over the travails of Igboho, Kanu and co agitators

     

    The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, has sent a delegation to Cotonou, Benin Republic, to observe the Monday court proceedings of the case involving Chief Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho.

     

    This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by the Personal Assistant/Director of Media and Publicity to the Olubadan,  Mr Adeola Oloko.

     

    Although the monarch did not reveal the identities  of the delegation, he  said  those to observe the court proceedings  would be in court unfailingly  on Monday.

     

    Oba Adetunji was quoted to have said this at his Popoyemoja, Ibadan palace on Sunday while exchanging views with some leaders of thought, comprising the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes President General, Prince Yemisi Adeaga, first Vice President General, Dr Tirimisiyu Oladimeji; Ekefa Olubadan, Chief Lekan Alabi; Ajia Olubadan, Chief Wasiu Aderoju Alaadorin; and Mogaji Makusota, Prof. Oluwasegun Adekunle.

     

    According to Olubadan it has become necessary in order to allay the fears of several people that he is not folding his arms over the travails of Sunday Igboho and his co-travellers.

     

    He said,  “Sunday Igboho lives in Ibadan, got married in Ibadan, rear children in Ibadan, built houses in Ibadan and as such he has the rights to be protected by Ibadan traditional institution within the ambit of the law just like any human being in Ibadan.”

     

    Oba Adetunji, who  said he  was in constant touch with Yoruba prominent royal fathers, including Igboho royal crowns, allayed public fears of a repeat performance of Yoruba-Fulani coalition of 1814.

    The monarch said students of Nigeria history might wish to be reminded that when some people during the period under reference chose to engage in territorial expansion to the sea, it took the Ibadan army under Balogun Oderinlo to repel the attack and stop the incursion near Osogbo.

     

    Oba Adetunji urged the people to remain calm and law abiding, saying truth will prevail.

     

    Meanwhile, the Bishop of Owo Diocese of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Stephen Fagbemi, has called on the Federal Government to exercise caution in dealing with various agitators across the country but rather focus on the security challenges in the country.

     

    The cleric said the administration of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) appeared to believe only in holding on to power rather than addressing the problem of the country.

     

    This was contained in the charge the bishop read at the 3rd Session of the 13th Synod of the Diocese of Owo, held at the Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Okeluse in Ose Local Government Area of the state, on Friday

     

    Fagbemi noted that whatever the government of Nigeria is doing with the likes of Sunday Sunday Igboho, Nnamdi Kanu and other agitators, it should bear in mind that they stood for the concerns and interest of millions of Nigerians and therefore they should be handled with caution.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Beninese court handling Igboho’s case adjourns,

     

    The Cour D’Appel De Cotonou in Benin Republic, yesterday, adjourned the case involving Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called Sunday Igboho, till today.

     

    Igboho is believed to have been arraigned on immigration-related offences.

    After the adjournment, neither Igboho’s lawyers nor the Beninese counsel spoke on what transpired in the court, BBC Yoruba reports.

     

    Igboho and his wife have been in custody since their arrest at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport, Cotonou, as they attempted to board a flight to Germany Monday night.

     

    He was declared wanted by the Department of State Service, DSS, earlier in July after a raid on his Ibadan house.

     

    Two people were killed by the DSS in the late-night raid, while 12 other persons were arrested and later paraded in Abuja. They have since been charged to court.

     

    There were, however, reports that the Federal Government was mounting pressure on the Beninese government to extradite Igboho to Nigeria to face charges of alleged possession of firearms.

     

     

    Also, Vanguard was reliably informed that a helicopter was stationed in the court premises with the hope that the ruling will be in favour of the Federal Government. It was also gathered last night that Igboho’s wife, Ropo, had been released by Beninese authorities.

     

    Supporters assemble at Benin court

     

    Earlier, supporters of Igboho were seen in large numbers at Cour D’Appel De Cotonou premises, ahead of the Igboho’s arraignment.

     

    The Yoruba-speaking supporters demanded that Igboho should not be returned to Nigeria, saying that he had committed no offence.

     

    Similarly, the Yoruba nation protesters in London stormed the British parliament to protest the arrest of the activist.

     

    In a live video by Heritage media on Facebook, the protesters were seen with the Yoruba nation flag, placards and branded T-shirts with inscriptions such as #Leave Our freedom fighters alone, stop extrajudicial killings in southern Nigeria, Free Sunday Igboho, I stand with Sunday Igboho.

     

    An unnamed speaker urged the supporters of the activist to be calm, saying “Igboho has not gone back to Germany as has been speculated. He is still in Cotonou.

     

    “We are calling on the regime of Muhammadu Buhari to leave our freedom fighters alone. We are tired of the killings in Yorubaland. Enough is enough.”

     

    Why FG can’t arm-twist Benin Republic to extradite Igboho — Akinterinwa

     

    However, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, has said that the Federal Government cannot arm-twist Benin Republic into extraditing Sunday Igboho.

     

    Akinterinwa said: “At the level of Benin Republic, if you are talking about arm-twisting, an elephant, even a lion, as big and powerful as it is, if it is bitten by a small mosquito, then you can know the consequences. It is not a question that Nigeria is big and powerful that you can arm-twist anybody. No, it doesn’t work that way.

     

    “The relationship between the Benin Republic and Nigeria is not determined only at the level of the Benin Republic. Benin Republic is Francophone, which means that it is dealing with France and the relationship at the level of France and Nigeria you can understand it without any rocket science.

     

    “The French government does not want the government of Nigeria to have the capacity to use the Benin Republic or the Francophone neighbours to the detriment of French interest in West Africa as much as the government of Nigeria won’t want to be used by the Francophone neighbours against Nigeria’s interest in the immediate neighbourhood.

     

    “So, even if you close borders all along, borders are not closed against the immediate neighbours, they are also closed against the French. So, any battle, any arm-twisting that you are thinking of should be put in the context of French interest and particularly the Francophone interest.

     

    “Any misunderstanding between a Francophone country – whether an immediate neighbour or far distant neighbour – is necessarily an issue at the level of Nigeria and the Francophone community; they think alike, they work together, they address issues together.”

     

    Yoruba leaders in talks with Benin Republic — YCE

     

    Also, the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, said it has begun consultations with prominent lawyers in the Republic of Benin to ensure justice for Igboho.

     

    Speaking with Vanguard yesterday, Secretary-General of YCE, Dr. Kunle Olajide, insisted that Igboho has not committed any offence in Nigeria which would warrant his arrest and detention.

     

    Olajide said: “Yoruba leaders are linking up with prominent lawyers in the Republic of Benin, who have been working day and night to ensure that justice is done. That is very important to us.

     

    “We are concerned about what is going on. To the best of our knowledge, we don’t see anything Igboho has done to breach the rules of either Nigeria or the Republic of Benin.

     

    “To the best of our knowledge, we are reliably told that Igboho ran for his dear life because it was clearer to him that his life was at stake.

     

    “If he has breached any law of that country, then they must bring  him to face charges otherwise, he should be released.”

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.vanguardngr.com

  • Igboho and Kanu: The FG and its security operatives should devote similar zeal and energy in tackling the Boko Haram insurgents, marauding herdsmen and bandits in the country

     

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, said the manner the Federal Government is handling the issues concerning leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and his Yoruba Nation counterpart, Sunday Adeyemo (a.k.a Sunday Igboho), is akin to pursuing peace without justice.

    It said the Nigeria security operatives has, in recent time, shown that they could bite, but urged that they devote similar zeal and energy in tackling the Boko Haram insurgents, marauding herdsmen and bandits in North East, North West and other parts of the country.

     

     

    The apex Igbo organisation, in a statement by its spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, flayed what it described as selective efficiency of the security operatives in handling the various cases.

     

    Quoting the words of Pope John Paul II, Ohanaeze said that the only way for peace to reign in society is for justice to be seen to be served to all.

     

    “We recall that Chief Sunday Igboho emerged in the scene because he could not endure the daily menace of the Fulani herdsmen in the Yoruba localities for a very long time. The herdsmen would kill, maim and rape women at random. All entreaties to the Presidency for a swift action against the AK-47 wielding herdsmen appeared to fall on deaf ears. Then, Igboho, in a patriotic heroic zeal, intervened to save the rural farmers, women and children from the daily menace of the herdsmen.

     

     

     

    “The rate at which the herdsmen destroy farm crops, attack villages, kill the indigenes and forcefully occupy their ancestral lands is most callous, unconscionable and condemnable. This is where the intervention of the presidency is most needed; and, of course, the Igboho paradox.

     

    “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, has maintained the need for the Presidency to embrace equity, justice and fairness in public policy formulations and execution.

     

    “And that the various forms of agitation in Nigeria is an effect and not a cause in itself. The cause of the agitations is the obvious injustice in federal public policies.

     

    “Measures should rather be taken to address the causes of the agitations; and, only then, can Nigeria have peace and sustainable economic growth.

     

    “On the other hand, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho, who wittingly or unwittingly are now seen as heroes by their people, are but the products of unjust society.

     

    “Therefore, a concerted effort in search of the Kanus and the Igbohos, without addressing the basis of the agitation, is an effort in futility. Otherwise, other Kanus and Igbohos will sooner than later emerge,” Ohanaeze stated.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline