The Court of Appeal in Cotonou appears set for the trial of the Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a Sunday Igboho.
It was learnt that Sunday Igboho had been brought to court for trial since around 7am.
However, the proceedings had yet to start as at 11.55am.
He was said to have been kept in a room within the court premises since his arrival.
The court premises is reportedly filled to the brim as crowd of Sunday Igboho’s supporters from Nigeria and the Yoruba communities in the Republic of Benin besieged the court waiting for the proceedings to commence.
His wife, Ropo, loyalists and some Yoruba traditional rulers were said to be under anxiety as they awaited the court’s verdict in the case.
Meanwhile, the Ilana Omo Oodua, on Monday, has insisted that the Yoruba freedom fighter was not under any immigration probe in the Benin Republic.
Giving an update on the Igboho’s case in a Cotonou court, the Communications Manager for Ilana Omo Oodua, Maxwell Adeleye, disclosed that security operatives in the Benin Republic had removed the leg chain and hand-cuff from the Yoruba activist.
Adeleye was quoted as saying, “We are pleased to inform all Yoruba People and well-wishers that the security operatives in the Benin Republic have removed leg chains and hand-cuff from Chief Ighoho since Saturday evening.
“Chief Ighoho’s wife has now been granted access to meet her husband three times daily. Medical personnel provided by our legal team has examined Chief Sunday Adeyemo. We reiterate that Chief Ighoho is not under any immigration-related probe in the Benin Republic.
“Chief Adeyemo will appear in court this morning in the Benin Republic to face the likely extradition charges to be brought against him by the Nigerian Government.
“We urge supporters from Nigeria not to bother coming to the court premises in Bénin. Kindly stay in Nigeria and support with prayers and whatever you can do within the ambit of the law. We are confident that Chief Igboho shall be set free.”
However, a lawmaker in Benin identified simply as Tolulase was said to have expressed fear over Sunday Igboho as possessing a fake Beninese passport attracts a maximum sentence of 21 years imprisonment if found guilty.
