Igboho Chained Inside Cell In Cotonou – Lawyer; As Protests Ground Ibadan

By Adesina Soyooye

Yomi Alliyu, SAN, Counsel to Sunday Adeyemo, popular as Sunday Igboho, has made a startling revelation.

Alliyu disclosed that Igboho is chained in his detention cell in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.

Alliyu’s disclosure, in an interview with The Punch, came on the day protesters grounded Ibadan, Oyo State, demanding for the unconditional release of Igboho.

On Tuesday, a meeting of some highly placed Yoruba, including Traditional Rulers, was allegedly hosted by the Ooni of Ife at his Palace to discuss the Igboho issue.

Igboho, an agitator for Oduduwa Republic, was arrested in Cotonou, alongside his wife, Ropo, a German citizen, at the Cadjehoun Airport.

Having escaped from Nigeria, both were on their way to Germany when they were intercepted and arrested by the INTERPOL.

Alliyu revealed that Igboho was a broken man when he spoke to him. “Igboho was weeping like a baby”, the lawyer said.

He revealed that while Security personnel were trying to arrest Igboho at the airport, there was a fracas. He did not explain the nature  of the fracas, but he revealed that Igboho was wounded on the wrist. Yet, he said, Igboho was chained on the same wrist.

Alliyu, did not disclose what caused the fracas; if Igboho resisted arrest, but he said he was injured on the wrist, and that chaining the same wrist, is giving him unbearable pains, hence his weeping like a baby.

However, it is rare for a suspect to be chained while inside the cell unless in special, difficult, circumstances.

Ropo, his wife, is also detained  in a different cell, but not chained.

By yesterday, Tuesday, it was expected that Igboho would be arraigned before a court in Cotonou, Wednesday. Even though his lawyer has, allegedly, moved to Cotonou, and working with some lawyers there to abort  Igboho’s extradition, it is reported  that Nigeria’s immediate Chief of Army Staff, who is now Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic  of Benin, Lt. General Tukur Buratai,  is pushing hard for Igboho’s extradiction, citing INTERPOL  protocols.

Igboho was declared wanted by the Directorate of State Services, DSS, after a joint raid by Security Agencies, of his home in Ibadan at an uncivilised hour. During the raid, a number of weapons were impounded. Igboho escaped arrest, but two of his associates were killed, and 12 others, including, allegedly, one of his wives, were arrested.