By Eric Elezuo
One of Sunday Igboho’s lawyers, based in the Republic of Benin, Olusegun Falola, has said the embattled Yoruba Nation activist will not be returning to Nigeria after his release from the custody of the government of Benin Republic.
He noted that Igboho’s return to Nigeria will not only mean his arrest by the Federal Government of Nigeria, but his death, adding that ‘they want to kill him’.
According to reports monitored on banouto.bj, an online news platform based on Benin, Falola said that Igboho’s life in Nigeria is threatened as he has been charged with stockpiling of arms, attack on state security agents and causing insurrection.
He was quoted as saying that “Igboho cannot return to Nigeria at this time due to the destruction of his properties, which we have witnessed. They are looking for a way to kill him’, and it is very dangerous to allow him return to Nigeria. He is therefore, kept in safety in detention.”
Sunday Igboho was arrested at the Cotonou airport on July 19 while attempting to travel to Germany in company of his wife. He was said to have been chained to a Cotonou Criminal Brigade after his arrest for fear that he would disappear.
The vociferous campaigner for the secession of the Yoruba tribe from Nigeria has been kept in pre-trial detention since he first appeared in court on July 26.
The Boss has learnt that his continued detention has been made possible as a result of the deadlock in negotiations between the Beninese and Nigerian governments concerning his extradition.
