FG may prosecute Igboho after detention in Benin Republic – Malami

Post created on 11:30 am

The Attorney-general of the Federation, Abubakar Malami has said that the federal government may prosecute Sunday Adeyemo better known as Sunday Igboho in Nigeria after his detention in Benin Republic.

Igboho was arrested at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport, Cotonou in July 2021 over alleged possession of a forged passport. Prior to this, he had been declared wanted by the Nigerian government.

Yomi Alliyu, Igboho’s counsel on Sunday, said the government of Benin Republic has extended Sunday Igboho’s detention time by six months.

Malami, on Monday in an interview on Channels Television said 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.

“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,” he said.

“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,” he added.

“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.”

Stating that a political solution may be considered when the agitator returns to Nigeria, the attorney-general 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.”