For illegally detaining and violating the fundamental human rights of Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice, sitting in Abuja, has ordered the Republic of Benin government to pay him the sum of 20 million CFA as damages.
In its ruling on Tuesday, the court said the Republic of Benin authorities must pay the said amount to Adeyemo within a space of three months, starting from the day the judgment to that effect is delivered.
A unanimous judgement delivered by Justices Gberi-Bé Ouattara, Sengu M. Koroma, and Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro GONÇALVES, in the matter, marked: ECW/CCJ/APP/15/22, Chief Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho) vs Republic of Benin, said the Benin government must comply with its order to pay 20 million CFA to Adeyemo within the stipulated time and thereafter report back to the court with the evidence of payment.
The ECOWAS Court ruling followed the application brought before it by Adeyemo against the defendant (Benin Republic), challenging his arrest and detention in the French-speaking country on July 21, 2021. The case was filed before the ECOWAS Court in Abuja, on February 10, 2022.
The cited Court documents indicated that “Orders sought wherefore Chief Adeyemo prays for the following from this Honourable Court: 1). “Pursuant to Article 59 of Rules of Procedure, an expedited procedure and hearing regarding the imprisonment and release of Chief Adeyemo; and
“…2) An Order for the immediate and unconditional release of Chief Adeyemo, along with his Nigerian passport, pending litigation and determination of damages, and (3) Such orders as this honourable court may deem fit.”
Counsels for Igboho as the applicant in the suit were Tosin Ojaomo, Aderemilekun Omojola Esq, and Dr. Janet Fashakin Esq, while Irene Aclombessi represented the Francophone country.
Igboho was arrested on 20th July 2021, alongside his wife, Ropo, in Cotonou, Benin Republic, and detained at the request of the Nigerian government. He had fled Nigeria after a combined team of the Nigeria Army and the Department of State Services (DSS) raided his residence, located around the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State’s capital, on July 1, 2021.
Before the widely-reported raid that led to the deaths of two people, and 12 of his aides arrested, Igboho was planning to hold a “Yoruba nation rally” in Lagos. In the process, he was accused of stockpiling weapons and subsequently declared him wanted by the DSS.
However, the Nigerian government made unsuccessful attempts at his repatriation to the country during the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Following his arraignment in court over a year ago, luck eventually smiles on him with his release from protective custody in Cotonou recently, having satisfied all the conditions attached to his bail.
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