Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, has stated that Benin Republic told Tukur Buratai, Nigeria’s ambassador to the country, the extradition of Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho will be guided by the rule of law.
The Yoruba youth leader is currently being detained in Benin Republic, following his arrest on July 19 in Cotonou by the country’s security operatives en route to Germany.
Charges leveled Sunday Igboho range from arms smuggling, inciting violence and calling for a secession of the Yoruba from Nigeria.
Falana who was a guest on a Channels Television on Thursday said Buratai, the former chief of army staff, requested that Igboho should be handed over to him.
Falana stated that the Federal Government must always respect the legal process in dealing with secessionists, he also stated that he gathered that there was an attempt to bundle Igboho into a waiting aircraft back to Nigeria.
“In the case of Sunday Igboho, again despite my disagreement with him, I came out to say you cannot just throw him into a waiting plane as we were told, it was attempted,” he said.
“You have to go to court. You have to make a request under international law, under the ECOWAS convention on extradition.
“The government of Nigeria is requested to submit an extradition request to the government of Benin Republic and so when the plenipotentiary, General Yusuf Buratai (retired), who at that time had not submitted his letters of credence asked that Igboho be handed over to him.
“He was told, ‘sorry, we operate the rule of law here’. That is why that matter is still in court.”
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria noted that while he is not in support of the campaign for the disintegration of country the law guarantees the rights of self-determination.
He urged the Federal Government to be respectful of human rights and always follow the legal approach in dealing with those calling for secession so that the country will be respected among civilized nations.
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“Unless we respect the rights of our people and the human rights of people in our country, we are going to be embarrassed continuously,” he added.
“And that is what has just happened in the United States, where a senator has moved a motion that certain aircraft should not be sold to Nigeria because of gross human rights violation.
“I have a fundamental disagreement, a fundamental ideologically disagreement with those calling for the break-up of the country along ethnic lines but the law has imposed a duty on the government.
“And the rest of us, respect the rights of such people and in fact article 20 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights guarantees the rights to self-determination.”
