Ibrahim David Salami, Beninise counsel to Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, says the embattled activist and his wife were arrested with Nigerian and German passports.
Igboho’s Beninise lawyer’s statement contradicts claims that the activist was being tried for illegally possessing a Beninise passport.
Salami in an interview with BBC Yoruba said, “It is not true that Benin Republic passport was found on Sunday Igboho when he was arrested.
“What was found on him were Nigerian and German passports. His wife had only her German passport on her at the point of arrest.”
On July 1, 2021, operatives of the Department of State Services had raided Igboho’s Ibadan, Oyo State, residence, killing two persons, who they claimed engaged them in a gun duel. They also arrested 13 other supporters of Igboho.
DSS later presented to newsmen seven AK-47 rifles allegedly recovered during the raid on Igboho’s house on July 1. They also claimed to have recovered three pump-action guns, 30 fully charged AK-47 magazines, 5,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five cutlasses, one jack-knife, one pen knife, two pistol holsters, a pair of binoculars, a wallet containing $5, local and international driving licences in his name, ATM cards, a German residence permit No. YO2N6K1NY bearing his name, two whistles, 50 cartridges and 18 walkie-talkies.
The DSS further claimed to have found in Igboho’s house three charm jackets/traditional body armour, two laptops, one Toshiba and one Compaq laptop, Igboho’s passport as well as those of his aides.
Also on July 17, Federal Government accused Igboho of attempting to get a new passport to flee the country.
The government added that it had placed Igboho on the stop-list in order to facilitate his arrest, directing security agencies to apprehend him anywhere he’s found.
FG’s directive for Igboho’s arrest was contained in a letter addressed by the Nigeria Immigration Service dated July 9, 2021, to the Director-General, Department of State Services, the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency.
Earlier, the DSS had declared Igboho wanted for allegedly stockpiling arms. He had since denied the allegation.
Igboho had been the arrowhead of the separatist agitation for the Yoruba Nation.