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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
A United States (US) based rights activist, Toyin Dawodu, has called on the Republic of Benin to release Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyomo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, unconditionally, within seven days or face dire consequences.
Dawodu, who made the call at a virtual press briefing, on Tuesday, said Igboho has not done anything wrong to warrant his continued detention by the Beninoise authority.
The activist said apart from Igboho’s unconditional release, he must not be handed over to Nigerian government, but allowed to exercise his right to movement, including traveling out of Republic of Benin to any country of his choice.
According to him, “I believe that Sunday Igboho has not committed any offence by being an agitator for fairness and security for the Yoruba people of Nigeria. There is currently no law that is against a man’s call for justice for his people.
“Therefore, I make this demand on behalf of many Africans in diaspora, particularly of Yoruba origin and all persons who detest injustice and oppression, that the Republic of Benin be mindful to do the following in the immediate:
“The Republic of Benin must immediately release Sunday Igboho unconditionally as he is being unnecessarily being persecuted by the Nigerian government, on account of his political views, which do not constitute an offence both in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.”
Dawodu added that “it must be clear to the authorities of Republic of Benin that the above demands are not mere wishes or whimsicalities as there is a strong network across the world that is prepared to visit serious economic sanctions on it as a country if it fails to honour its international human rights obligations to persecuted individuals like Sunday Igboho…
“The Republic of Benin must tread carefully not to offend the Yoruba people, or else, the consequences of a trade embargo imposed by the Yoruba people against the Republic of Benin will spell an economic disaster to it as a country.”
