Bashir Ahmad, the Personal Assistant on New Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, has told Senator Shehu Sani, to head to Cotonou in Benin Republic to protest the continued detention of embattled Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, well known as Sunday Igboho.

Igboho, who was arrested in 2021, is facing allegations bordering on trafficking in arms, inciting violence, and causing disunity in Nigeria.

The counsel for the Yoruba secessionist leader, Yomi Aliyyu, had on Sunday said the government of Benin Republic has extended the detention of Sunday Igboho by six months.

“Contrary to what was speculated in the news by a lawyer, the government of the Republic de Benin has renewed the incarceration of Chief Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Igboho Oosa for another six months even though there is no criminal charge in their file in Cotonou and without extradition request from Nigeria,” Aliyyu had said.

Reacting to the development via his verified Twitter handle, Sani, the immediate past Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, said the continued detention of Igboho was “inhuman and condemnable”.

“I don’t support Igboho’s separatist ideas and activities in anyway, but the reported extension of his detention by six months is inhuman and condemnable,” Sani wrote.

Commenting, President Buhari’s aide said: “Go to Cotonou, mobilize and take the streets. Distinguished Senator, that will make your call to be heard clearly by them.”

It would be recalled that Sunday Igboho was arrested alongside his wife on July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, the Benin Republic while attempting to flee to Germany.

Sunday Igboho’s wife, Ropo, was later released while the embattled Yoruba Nation agitator was returned to the custody of Brigade Criminelle in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

This came after the Beninese court ordered that Sunday Igboho be remanded in a prison facility in the Francophone West African nation while further investigations were carried out on the case against the agitator.

The Yoruba rights activist, who is now seeking asylum in the Benin Republic, is facing allegations bordering on trafficking in arms, inciting violence, and causing disunity in Nigeria.

TheStar