As the battle to ensure the release of the Yoruba freedom fighter continues, more lawyers have joined his legal team.
The activist initially has nine lawyers in his legal team, but two more have now joined the team, making the number 11.
The Yoruba Nation’s agitator, who has been moved to a new detention facility, is now faced with fresh charges filed against him by the government of Benin Republic.
A source in the Yoruba self-determination group, Ilana Omo Oodua, hinted that two lawyers would join the Igboho legal team.
“That will make them 11. The two lawyers are being sponsored by Yoruba in the Diaspora,” the source said.
The leader of Igboho’s legal counsel team, Ibrahim Salami, while speaking on the ongoing legal battle, said his team was dazed with surprise when the matter took a new twist in the court with fresh charges such as illegal migration, dubious connivance with immigration officers and an attempt to cause civil unrest.
“We were first surprised, because it was like magic. We went to court for a reason and we were confronted with fresh charges after sailing through two stages on the initial allegations.
“It’s surprising that was done. Igboho only passed through Benin Republic, while heading for Germany. He didn’t spend up to a day in Benin. We do not think that is rational. One of the fresh charges against him is a criminal case. It is a big offence. It will require a senior judge to adjudicate. It is a serious crime here in Benin Republic.”
He said Igboho was “deeply pained” when the judge ordered that he should be returned to the cell after the case was adjourned.
He, however, said the lawyers would file his bail application “shortly”, adding that the next date for hearing would be fixed after the lawyers had filed the bail application.