1984 Extradition Treaty Between Nigeria, Benin, Two Others Excludes Political Refugees — Yomi Alliyu, SAN

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yomi Alliyu, says that the Extradition Treaty of 1984 between Togo, Nigeria, Ghana and Republic of Benin excludes political fugitives.

According to him, the treaty also states that where the fugitive will not get justice because of discrimination and/or undue delay in prosecution, the host country should not release the fugitive.

Alliyu, who is also the Lead Counsel for arrested Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, told one of our correspondents on Tuesday.

“The Extradition Treaty of 1984 between Togo, Nigeria, Ghana and Republic of Benin excluded political fugitives. It also states that where the fugitive will not get justice because of discrimination and/or undue delay in prosecution the host country should not release the fugitive.

“Now, Article 20 of African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights to which the four countries are signatories made agitation for self-determination a fundamental right to be protected by all countries. This made Chief Sunday Adeyemo a political offender who cannot be deported and/or extradited by the good people of the Republic of Benin for any reason,” Alliyu said.

The senior advocate, who described the arrest of his client as shocking, urged the government of Germany, Benin Republic and the international community “to rise up and curb the impunity of the Nigerian Government by refusing any application for extradition of our Client who already has application before the International Criminal Court duly acknowledged”.

The Nigerian secret police had raided Igboho’s Ibadan residence in the Soka area on July 1, 2021, arrested about 12 of his aides and killed two of them in a gun duel.

The Federal Government of Nigeria had placed the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Customs Service on alert to stop Igboho from leaving the country.