Pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Tuesday, called on international human rights organisation to get freedom for embattled Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.
The acting leader of the group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, made the call for international intervention to ensure the release of the imprisoned agitator during Afenifere’s first annual general meeting in the year.
Igboho was declared wanted by the Department of State Services for allegedly stockpiling arms under the pretext of Yoruba Nation, an allegation he had denied.
The secret police had on July 1, 2021, stormed his Ibadan residence and killed two of his aides while 12 others were arrested during a midnight Gestapo raid.
The self-determination campaigner had narrowly escaped to neighbouring Benin Republic but was apprehended on July 19, 2021, while he tried to board a German-bound flight. He had since been remanded in a prison facilty in the francophone West African nation while many groups including Afenifere have called for a political solution to resolve the matter.
Speaking on Tuesday, at the event held at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State, Adebanjo described 49-year-old Igboho as a prisoner of conscience.
A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting read in part, “The meeting considered Sunday Adeyemo Igboho as a Prisoner of Conscience. Afenifere called on all men and women of conscience, particularly the international community to which human rights and freedom are abiding faith, to prevail on the Governments of Nigeria and Benin Republic to release Sunday Igboho forthwith.
“Not only that, the Federal Government should also pay Sunday Igboho the damages awarded to him by the court upon the savage attack on his person and property.”
Also, Afenifere called on the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to free the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, “even if on political consideration as happened in the case of Asari Dokubo under the then President Olusegun Obasanjo”.
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