Raging cold war between Nigeria and Benin Republic worsened on Sunday as the Beninoise authorities reportedly resolved to drop all charges against detained Yoruba Nation agitators’ leader, Sunday Adeyemo, who is also known as Sunday Igboho.
Competent sources in government circles at the French-speaking country also confirmed to First News that by noon today, a letter granting Igboho political asylum in Benin would have been ready.
Already, the activist enjoys German political asylum, but was stopped short from tasting it, following his arrest at the Cardinal Bernardin Airport, Cotonou, on July 20.
A senior official who craved anonymity particularly informed that the Beninoise authorities had been buffeted with damning reports from the human rights community on various rights abuses linked to the Nigerian government.
Besides, another source said Benin has yet to forgive Nigeria for closing its borderlands against the importation of goods considered beneficial to the Beninoise economy.
“As I’m talking to you, Igboho is as good as a free man. Indeed, a letter granting him and his wife, Ropo, political asylum should be ready before 12 o’clock tomorrow.
“Here, you don’t jail people anyhow; we have confirmed him as a victim of political witch-hunt,” the source revealed.
The source added that a missive by the Nigerian ambassador to Benin Republic, General Tukur Buratai (retd), asking for the extradition of Igboho, is long forgotten in the trash can.
Meanwhile, a recent visit of a joint delegation sent by two notable Yoruba traditional rulers- the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, to intercede for Igboho may have paid off.
The monarchs’ emissaries reportedly met with notable royal fathers of Yoruba extraction in that country, who in turn got across to the Beninoise President, Guillaume Talon.
“The traditional rulers made us realise that Igboho started out by calling for government intervention on the attacks against his Yoruba people by Fulani herdsmen, but he was repeatedly rebuffed; before he started asking for secession, apparently out of frustration,” a top government official revealed to First News in Cotonou.
A local source also revealed that paramount Yoruba monarch, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, did not openly get involved in efforts to rescue Igboho, because “he is under close watch from Abuja”.