The 49-year-old agitator fled Nigeria for Benin Republic after the Nigerian government declared him wanted.
Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho), was on Monday released from detention by the Beninese government eliciting jubilation in several quarters in the South-West region.
Igboho had been detained in a prison facility in the Republic of Benin, after he was arrested with Ropo, his wife, at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport, Cotonou, while on his way to Germany in July 2021.
The 49-year-old agitator fled Nigeria for Benin Republic after the Nigerian government declared him wanted.
But on Monday, the Ilana Omo Oodua, a self-determination group confirmed Igboho's release, in a statement issued by its Communications Secretary, Maxwell Adeleye.
However, Yomi Alliyu, one of the agitator's lawyers said Igboho was released from prison to his medical practitioners.
Alliyu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said in a statement Monday that Sunday Igboho’s release was under the agreement that he should not leave the medical centre or Cotonou for any reason.
“I am to inform you that Chief Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a Igboho, has been released from prison to his medical practitioners under the agreement that he should not leave the medical centre or Cotonou for any reason,” Alliyu had said.
However, this claim had been debunked by Maxwell in an interview with SaharaReporters.
According to Maxwell, the agitator has regained total freedom and is permitted to hold rallies if he wishes.
The decision to remain in Benin Republic, he said, was taken amongst Igboho and the other Yoruba leaders and not the decision of the court.
Maxwell said Igboho was not released to any medical practitioner as he stated that the Yoruba activist slept at his house in Cotonou on Monday.
He said, “Igboho was not stopped from holding rally, he was not released to any medical personnel he slept in his own house in Cotonou yesterday. It was an understanding that he should remain in Benin for now, to security reasons because he can be easily picked up if he returned to Nigeria.
“There are no bail conditions. He has been released, he is free to enjoy his life and can do whatever he wants to do.”