A law professor, Ibrahim Salami, who is one of the Cotonou, Benin Republic-based lawyers working for Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, has dismissed some news making the rounds about Igboho.
The lawyer in an Interview with BBC Yoruba, said the activist will face a two-stage process on Monday before he can be released or jailed.
Prosecutors claimed Igboho was on a watchlist for alleged trafficking in arms, inciting violence that could result in social disturbance and causing disunity in Nigeria.
Prof Salami explained, “In Benin here, there are three stages (judicial protocol) of trial. The first is with the prosecutor, the second one is with the investigating judge and the third will determine whether he is guilty and should be sentenced or not.
“The next phase is on Monday. The first phase with the prosecutor has been concluded. When we get to court on Monday, we will be facing the investigation judge, and after that, we will face the judge that will determine whether he should be sentenced or not.”
He expressed optimism that the entire process could be concluded tomorrow with the result that he is either set free or jailed.
He urged Igboho’s supporters to stay away from the court proceedings tomorrow.
He said, “When we went to court on Thursday, we had a large turnout of Igboho’s supporters. I frowned on their action. They should stay at home and let us do our job. Igboho is accused of causing disorderliness and civil unrest. If they are now mobilising to court, it may send a wrong signal. They should support him with prayers from home.
“There is no accord between Nigeria and Benin that allows Benin to extradite Igboho to Nigeria. He can only be extradited on political grounds. In that regard, the law won’t apply.”
Salami debunked some lies being peddled about the case.
He said, “We are five lawyers defending him. When we saw him in the police station, he was not chained in the leg or beaten. What they did to him that is wrong was that they handcuffed him inside the cell such that he finds it difficult to eat or ease himself. Another person has to help him if he needs to use the toilet or eat.
“Human right does not permit us to do this. We called the attention of the police boss and prosecutor to it. As we speak, he is still handcuffed.”
He also stated that only a Nigerian passport was found on the Yoruba rights activist, adding that he was not being tried for possessing a fake passport.
He admitted, however that Igboho was tried for “immigration offences” insisting that the case had been negated with the activist’s application for asylum.
“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 watch list. He didn’t go against any law in Benin Republic. They didn’t find any Beninese 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.”
