Just In: Benin Republic’s Security Operatives Capture Fugitive Sunday Igboho In Cotonou

Fugitive Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, has reportedly been apprehended in Cotonou by Benin Republic’s security operatives.

According to reports, the embattled secessionist agitator was arrested on Monday night while tidying up his escape plans to seek asylum in Germany.

Though yet to be officially confirmed, reports by SaharaReporters indicated that he was picked up on Monday night in an undercover operation that thwarted his planned escape through Cotonou en route to the European nation.

In quoting a source privy to the development, SaharaReporters said; “Sunday Igboho has been arrested in Cotonou. He was arrested about an hour ago.”

“He was supposed to travel to Germany through Cotonou this night (Monday, July 19, 2021). He wanted to leave Africa through Cotonou. He was arrested by security operatives in Cotonou”, the reports said.

Early Tuesday morning, some close aides of Igboho confirmed his arrest, even as one of them hinted that their boss had a Benin Republic passport and was set for Germany before the unexpected bubble burst on the trip on Monday night.

The aide told one national newspaper that; “It would have been difficult for authorities to arrest him outside the country. He had a German passport with 10-years validity.

“Forget the insinuations and reports that his location was tracked in Nigeria, it was difficult for intelligent sources to track his location, he has been in an undisclosed location in the Benin Republic since about two weeks.”

Since being declared wanted by the Department of State Services (DSS) following the invasion of his Sooka residence in Ibadan, Oyo State by some security operatives, Igboho has been in hiding.

In that infamous raid, in which two of his men lost their lives while 13 others were arrested and paraded in Abuja, the nation’s Secret Police had accused Igboho of stockpiling arms and ammunition with the aim of causing unrest in the country’s South-West region.

To buttress their allegations against the fleeing Igboho, the DSS also displayed the illegal arms, ammunition, and sundry exhibits which its operatives supposedly recovered from his residence during the bloody night raid.

In a statement thereafter, DSS’ spokesperson, Peter Afunnaya had advised Igboho, who was immediately declared wanted to, in his interest, turn himself in at the security office nearest to him; a piece of advice which the self-styled Yoruba Nation agitator Igboho had bluntly ignored until his arrest in Contonu, the economic center of Benin Republic.

However, with his whereabouts unknown since that bloody raid, the Federal Government had ordered security operatives to stop him from escaping the country, alleging that he was working on acquiring a new passport to get out of Nigeria.

To facilitate his arrest, he was reportedly placed on the stop-list by the government in a letter by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) dated July 9, 2021, and addressed to the Director-General of DSS; the Inspector General of Police; and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA)

The letter titled; “Stop-listing of person: Adeyemo Sunday Adeniyi (aka Sunday Igboho), male, Nigerian, passport number A11613637, date of birth 10/10/1972’” was signed on behalf of the Comptroller General of Immigration by Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, Investigation, and Compliance, A.B. Baba.

It reads, “I am directed to request that you kindly place the above-named person on stop-list. Credible intelligence revealed that Adeyemo is making efforts to obtain a police extract and/or court affidavit to enable him to acquire a new Nigerian passport, apparently to facilitate his escape out of the country.

“In addition, he should be arrested wherever and whenever sighted and referred to the Director-General, Department of State Services vide letter no: S.605/A/246 dated 05 July 2021.”