July 20, 2021

A renowned historian and leader of the Umbrella Body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye, has confirmed the arrest of Yoruba Nation Agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho in Benin Republic.

Akintoye, however, said he, alongside others are currently working to provide legal assistance for Ighoho to prevent his extradition into Nigeria, saying “Benin Republic is a land that respect the rules of law.”

This was disclosed in a statement signed on Tuesday by Akintoye.

“I received last night the troubling information that Chief Sunday Adeyemo fondly called Igboho had been arrested at the Cotonou Airport.

“I and other Yoruba Patriots who are immediately available are now working to provide the assistance necessary to ensure that nobody will be able to do to him anything unlawful or primitive and to prevent him from being extradited into Nigeria which is strongly possible.

“Fortunately, Benin Republic is reliably a land of law where the authorities responsibly obey the law,” the statement read in part.

He added that a “leading and highly respected lawyer,” has been hired in defence of Igboho.

He urged Yoruba citizens to stand strong and ensure that “neither Sunday Igboho nor any other Yoruba person will henceforth be subjected to inhuman or dehumanizing treatment of any kind.”

“We must all see to it now that Sunday Igboho will get his freedom back so as to be able to move and operate as a free person. We all know he has committed no crime.

“We know that some people are trying to suppress or even eliminate him only because he stood up to defend his kinsmen, women and children who are being massively killed and raped in their ancestral home Land; who are having their assets and means of livelihood destroyed, and who are facing ethnic cleansing and even genocide without having the benefit of protection by the rulers of their country,” the statement read in part.

The popular historian called on all Yoruba citizens within and beyond the shores of Nigeria to ensure that their ancestral land is not defeated by invaders.