As against the plan of the Nigerian government to secure the extradition of Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, from Benin Republic, the Cour De’Appel De Cotonou, Benin Republic, on Monday, is now cross-examining the Yoruba Nation agitator, over his entry into the West African country allegedly through the backdoor.
It was learnt that the case of Igboho was now versus the Beninese government, as the accusations brought against him by the Nigerian government to demand his extradition had now been quashed by the court.
SaharaReporters quoted sources from the court as saying that Igboho now had to explain to the Benin Republic court why he entered the country without the necessary documents.
“Yesterday, the judges arrived at a conclusion at past 11pm and the charges levelled against him (by the Nigerian government) were dropped. Firstly, illegal supply of firearms to Nigeria, then the second accusation of causing unrest in the country and that he wanted to cause Nigeria to be divided. Those were the three charges levelled against him before but as of yesterday, they had been dropped,” one of the sources said.
“The case is now about why he came to Benin Republic illegally and why he had not obtained the papers. This is now a Benin Republic versus Igboho matter and not Nigeria versus Igboho.
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“The lawyer was telling me this morning that the charges levelled against Igboho were surprising but that they would try to apply for his bail so he can go to Germany for medical care and when it is time for the next sitting, he will come from there.”
It was earlier reported that the Nigerian government assembled at least six lawyers at the Cour De’Appel De Cotonou in its desperate bid to secure the extradition of Igboho.
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The lawyers, both French and English speaking, however, reportedly failed to convince the court after a 13-hour trial on Monday as to why Igboho should be extradited.
“The court session took no less than 13 hours because of frequent breaks in-between. Also, the Beninese court system is different from the system of law in Nigeria.
“Nigerian courts have an adversarial system of justice but Benin Republic has an inquisitorial system; a justice system in which the judge takes the matter on himself to inquire like an investigator, asking questions and probing the two parties,” a legal source had said.
“So, the court was actually investigating the three main allegations brought against Igboho by the Federal Government of Nigeria which claimed that Igboho was a gun runner, a terrorist and a criminal who wanted to divide Nigeria. All these could not be proven by the lawyers,” the source said.
It was learnt that the Cour De’Appel De Cotonou had no choice than to order Igboho to remain in police custody pending further investigation.
The activist was returned to cell after a 13-hour hearing, which ended around 11:20pm on Monday.
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