Following his imprisonment in Benin Republic, ‘Yoruba nation’ agitator Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, may face charges in Nigeria.
Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, revealed this in a Channels Television interview on Monday.
Igboho was previously arrested in July 2021 at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport in Cotonou for allegedly possessing a fraudulent passport.
The Nigerian government had designated Igboho wanted just days before he was apprehended in Benin Republic.
Malami when asked if there are efforts to bring Sunday Igboho to Nigeria, said the federal government will allow the law of Benin Republic that was allegedly breached to take its “natural course”.
He added that the federal government will not interfere in the prosecution of the activist in Benin Republic since his alleged offence is a breach of the law of a foreign nation.
Malami said, “It is a matter being prosecuted in a foreign country and within the context of that prosecution — one thing that is apparent and visible is that he has been taken to custody on account of breaching laws applicable in a foreign nation. With that in mind, he is being prosecuted.
“We will allow the law of a nation that was indeed breached to take its natural course and then perhaps, maybe thereafter bring him back home after the conclusion of the trial over there for the purpose of facing the Nigerian law that was accordingly breached.
“The position of things is we are not interfering in aborting the existing prosecution in the foreign land, taking into consideration that the laws that were alleged to have been breached were indeed the laws of the foreign nation.”
He said a political solution may be considered when the agitator returns to Nigeria.
Malami said, “In terms of a political solution taken into consideration, he is standing trial in a foreign land. What is the political solution can we bring there?
“Not in terms of when he is standing trial at the foreign nation, so perhaps those considerations may be considered or perhaps brought to bear when he is eventually brought back after the conclusion of the trial at the foreign nation.”
Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, revealed this in a Channels Television interview on Monday.
Igboho was previously arrested in July 2021 at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport in Cotonou for allegedly possessing a fraudulent passport.
The Nigerian government had designated Igboho wanted just days before he was apprehended in Benin Republic.
Malami when asked if there are efforts to bring Sunday Igboho to Nigeria, said the federal government will allow the law of Benin Republic that was allegedly breached to take its “natural course”.
He added that the federal government will not interfere in the prosecution of the activist in Benin Republic since his alleged offence is a breach of the law of a foreign nation.
Malami said, “It is a matter being prosecuted in a foreign country and within the context of that prosecution — one thing that is apparent and visible is that he has been taken to custody on account of breaching laws applicable in a foreign nation. With that in mind, he is being prosecuted.
“We will allow the law of a nation that was indeed breached to take its natural course and then perhaps, maybe thereafter bring him back home after the conclusion of the trial over there for the purpose of facing the Nigerian law that was accordingly breached.
“The position of things is we are not interfering in aborting the existing prosecution in the foreign land, taking into consideration that the laws that were alleged to have been breached were indeed the laws of the foreign nation.”
He said a political solution may be considered when the agitator returns to Nigeria.
Malami said, “In terms of a political solution taken into consideration, he is standing trial in a foreign land. What is the political solution can we bring there?
“Not in terms of when he is standing trial at the foreign nation, so perhaps those considerations may be considered or perhaps brought to bear when he is eventually brought back after the conclusion of the trial at the foreign nation.”