The former Chief of Army Staff and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lt. General Tukur Buratai (rtd) has met with President Patrice Talon of his host country.
The meeting on Tuesday, occurred amid the stalled extradition of wanted Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, who was arrested in Cotonou on July 19, 2021 while trying to catch a flight to Germany.
Though Buratai has since been posted to the West African country for his ambassadorial assignment, The New Diplomat learnt the Ambassador only officially presented his letter of credence to President Talon, Tuesday.
The Ambassador of Germany to Benin Republic, Michael Derus; as well as those of Ghana, Gabon, and Norway also presented their letters of credence to the Beninoise President, Talon, also on Tuesday.
As of the time of this reporting, The New Diplomat was unable to immediately confirm whether issues bordering on Igboho’s arrest and planned extradition were discussed before or after Buratai was officially welcomed to that country by President Talon.
But a member of Igboho’s legal team, Pelumi Olajengbesi, had claimed that Buratai was at the center of Igboho’s extradition brouhaha as he had allegedly asked Benin Republic to immediately extradite the activist to Nigeria upon his arrest, but authorities in Benin were said to have declined the request.
The New Diplomat had earlier reported that Ibrahim Salami, one of the Benin Republic-based lawyers of Sunday Igboho disclosed that the court was still awaiting the extradition charges from the Nigerian government.
According to the lawyer, the Nigerian government would possibly be presenting a piece of video evidence.
While reacting to the viral reports that Igboho is being tried on immigration-related issues, Salami debunked the allegations, saying that only a Nigerian passport was found on the Yoruba rights activist.
He added that his client was not being tried for possessing a fake passport.
The lawyer had said, “When he left Nigeria, he took the backdoor into Benin. It was at the airport that security operatives stopped him that he was on the watchlist. He didn’t go against any law in Benin Republic. They didn’t find any Beninoise passport on him. He had a Nigerian passport with a German residency card. He needed no visa at that point.
“When we understudied the case, we realised that the Nigerian government had not filed a case for extradition. They only claimed that he is wanted in Nigeria for criminal offences. Our argument is that he was arrested because of Nigeria’s request, and there is no proof to show that he is a criminal.”
Also, Salami told newsmen on Tuesday that Igboho was sent to prison on Monday by Cour De’appal De Cotonou to allow for an investigation into the why and how he arrived in Cotonou.
“What amazed me is the fact that the judge was explicit that Igboho’s continued detention is not as a result of his issues with Nigeria, that he is being sent to prison because of infractions committed here in the Benin Republic.
“We have also not seen any written complaints from Nigeria being placed before the court. It is a case between the Benin Republic and Sunday Igboho – nothing more,” he explained.
