Tag: Benin republic

  • ECOWAS deploys 40 Observers to monitor elections in Benin Republic

    ECOWAS deploys 40 Observers to monitor elections in Benin Republic

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has deployed forty observers to monitor the January 8, 2023, Legislative Elections in Benin Republic.

    President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Aliue Tourney approved the deployment of forty short-term election observers (STOs) to Benin to support and monitor the entire electoral process.

    The observers were deployed today, January 6, 2023, in Cotonou, Republic of Benin to the capitals of the twelve (12) Regions of the country.

    The Observers are drawn from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of ECOWAS Member States, Electoral Commissions, the ECOWAS Council of the Wise, the ECOWAS Parliament, the ECOWAS Community Court of justice, Civil Society Organisations, the media, and election experts from the region.

    Resident Representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission to the Republic of Benin, Amb. Amadou Diongue in a briefing explained that ECOWAS electoral support to Member states is a mandate of the Commission on democracy and good governance and the commitment of governments in the region during elections.

    Amb. Diongue assured that ECOWAS was backing the observers and charged them on the success as they depart to the field.

    Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to the Legislative Election in Benin, H.E. Raimundo Pereira, stated that the presence of the observers is very significant to the electoral process, adding that their Mission in Benin is to ensure a transparent, peaceful and inclusive election.

  • Soyinka Visits Igboho In Benin Republic

    Soyinka Visits Igboho In Benin Republic

    Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, on Sunday met with Yoruba Nation campaigner, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Ighoho.

    A statement issued by Sokinya’s media office in Abuja confirmed the visit, with a picture showing Igboho with the Nobel laureate and leader of Yoruba self-determination group, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Banji Akintoye.

    It could however not be ascertained what transpired at the meeting.

    This is coming about five weeks after Akintoye announced the release of Ighoho in the Benin Republic.

    After being declared wanted by the Department of State Services (DSS), he was accused of stockpiling arms to destabilise Nigeria. But the separatist leader strongly denied the allegation. In July 2021, Igboho fled his Ibadan residence and escaped to the neighbouring Francophone country.

    He was arrested by the Interpol at a Benin airport on July 19, 2021, while boarding a flight to Germany.

    After spending about nine months in a detention facility in the Benin Republic, Igboho was released on health grounds. But his lead counsel, Yomi Aliyyu, ruled out the possibility of his client’s return to Nigeria anytime soon.

  • Enemona Foundation Empowers 250 Widows, Orphans In Benin Republic

    Enemona Foundation Empowers 250 Widows, Orphans In Benin Republic

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    Barely one week after Ambassador Gabriel Onoja the president of Enemona Josh Humanitarian Foundation donated a newly built 600 sitting capacity church to Inele-Ugoh community in Olamaboro local government area of Kogi state , the young philanthropist has moved to Benin republic to put smile on the faces of over 250 widows and orphans in the country.

    Addressing the widows and orphans at Tcha Tchou community in Parakou a northern state in Republic of Benin, Ambassador Onoja said he was in the country to fulfil devine calls to his mother’s community to extend the humanitarian services to the less privilege in the area.

    “I know your plight as widows especially in the areas of feeding and education of your children, Nigeria and Benin republic are not too far, I will endeavour to be visiting you intermittently to check your well being and come to your aid in any areas God gives us the financial support to do.

    “What we need from you is nothing but prayer so that we can be buoyant to render this humanitarian services to the people of Africa and beyond” he said.

    One of the beneficiaries Rhoda Moses who led other widows to pray for the president of the foundation, said “this is the first time somebody from another country visited us in our community and distribute food items and money to the widows”

    “Since you have chosen to remember us as widows who don’t have the financial capacities to take care of ourselves, we will never stop praying for you and the foundation. Your coming to this community today is timely and you can see the high turnout of widows and orphans in appreciation of your gesture” she added

    Also in her remark, the mother of Ambassador Onoja who is an indigene of Benin republic Mrs Elizabeth Bani described the humanitarian services rendered to her people by her biological son as a dream fulfilled.

    “It has been my dream and prayer that my children should be great and render selfless service to the less privileged in the society. So when Gabriel my first son started this humanitarian services three years ago I was overwhelmed with joy and I prayed for him and encouraged him to take the gesture to every part of the world”.

    Alhaji Umar Abu one of the ardent supporters of the foundation, who accompanied Ambassador Gabriel Onoja to Benin republic, said the cardinal focus of Enemona Foundation is love and humanitarian services, adding that the extension of the gesture to widows and orphans in Benin republic has been on the agenda of the foundation to extend its tentacles outside the shore of Nigeria.

    He appealed to well meaning individuals, foreign donors across the world to support the foundation for effective implementation of its core mandate to the less privileged ones in the society.

    Items distributed to widows and orphans include 250 bags of rice, cartons of maggi, bags of salt and cash respectively.

    In a related development, Youths in Parakou a northern state in Republic of Benin also bestowed an award of Humanitarian Excellence on Ambassador Gabriel Enemona Onoja for his selfless service to humanity.

    The leader of the youth Mr Akilou Madugu who presented the award on behalf of other teaming youth , said from the internet, television networks in Benin Republic they have been reading and viewing clips of how the president/founder, Enemona Josh Humanitarian Foundation has been assisting the less privileged ones in Nigeria.

    He noted that the prestigious award bestowed on him was to spur him to do more for the people of Benin Republic and other parts of the world.

    “In fact this is the first time the youth of this country are witnessing a philanthropist who will come to us not on the basis of politics but to render help to widows and orphans in this community.”

  • Sunday Igboho Released From Custody In Benin Republic

    Sunday Igboho Released From Custody In Benin Republic

    The embattled Yoruba Nation activist, Mr.Sunday Adeyemo, has been released by the Benin Republic Government.

    The activist, who is fondly called Sunday Ighoho, was released on Monday to the leader of the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Professor Banji Akintoye, and his deputy, a French Language Expert and Chieftain of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Professor Wale Adeniran.

    In a statement issued by the Communications Secretary to Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye, Akintoye described Igboho’s release as a “Triumph of Truth over Darkness in Yoruba Land”.

    Details of Igboho’s movement are still sketchy and it remains unclear if the activist, who has been incarcerated since July 2021, will be returning to Nigeria.

    Igboho was arrested in the Benin Republic on his way to Germany alongside his wife who was released shortly after. They left Nigeria after operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) raided their Ibadan residence on July 1, 2021.

  • Unlawful Detention: Igboho slams N560m suit against Benin Republic

    Unlawful Detention: Igboho slams N560m suit against Benin Republic

    The Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has filed One million US Dollars, ($1,000,000 U.S.), (Five hundred and sixty million Naira) equivalent as general damages, for each day he has been imprisoned in the Benin Republic, before the Community Court of Justice, the Economic Community of West African States,(ECOWAS) in Abuja against the Republic of Benin.

    He asked the court for an order awarding him General damages in an amount equivalent to $1,000,000 (U.S.) for the alleged violation of his human right by the Republic of Benin.

    Igboho after being raided at his Soka Ibadan home on July 1, 2021, by Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, had escaped to the Benin Republic en route Germany but was arrested by the operatives of the Brigade Criminelle on July 19, 2021.

    Igboho through his lawyer Mr Tosin Ojaomo sought a Declaration that Benin’s actions regarding his unlawful, arbitrary arrest and detention, violating his freedom of movement, his right to an unbiased trial within a reasonable time, violates his dignity of the human person.

    He said that the order sought is Pursuant to Article 59 of Rules of Procedure, an Expedited Procedure and Hearing, regarding the imprisonment and release of Chief Adeyemo.

    Ojaomo in the application dated February 10, 2022, sought An Order for the immediate and unconditional release of Chief Adeyemo, along with his Nigerian passport, pending litigation and determination on damages.

    Igboho’s counsel said the application is brought pursuant to Article 3(4) of the 2005 Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/01/05, by which “the Court has jurisdiction to determine (the) case of violation of human rights that occur in any Member State.”

    “Article 11(1) of the 1991 Community Court of Justice Protocol (A/P.I/7/91) by which “cases may be brought before the Court by an application addressed to the Court Registry.”

    The Revised Treaty of Economic Community of West African States (“ECOWAS Treaty”),

    Articles 56(2) and 57.

    “The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the “Banjul Charter”), Articles 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12(1), 12(2), 12(3), and 17(2).

    Article 3(2)(d)(iii) of the ECOWAS Treaty, Article 2(1) of the ECOWAS Protocol A/P.1/5/79 relating to Free Movement of Persons, Residence, and Establishment, upon which Chief Adeyemo sought to escape the persecution by passing through the neighbouring Republic of Benin (“Benin”), to take refuge in Germany.

    Ojaomo, said that the applicant, Chief Adeyemo is a Nigerian citizen of ECOWAS, a husband, father, businessman, philanthropist, political activist, and ultimately, a lover of the Yoruba.

    Due to arrest and ongoing detention by the officials of the Republic of Benin, Chief Adeyemo is currently a resident at a prison in Cotonou.

    He also said that the defendant is the government of the Republic of Benin, a member state of ECOWAS and a signatory or state-party to the Banjul Charter and several laws cited herein.

    Ojaomo in a 40 paragraph affidavit said “Benin violated Chief Adeyemo’s human rights including but not limited to personal liberty, freedom of movement, the presumption of innocence, due process, the dignity of the human person, expressed in the ECOWAS Treaty, Article 3(2)(d)(iii), Banjul Charter, Articles: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7(1), 12(1), 12(2), 12(3), and 17(2), Refugee Convention, Article 26, Universal.

    Declaration of Human Rights, Articles: 3, 5, 9, 12, 13, and 14, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Articles: 5(2), and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Articles: 9, 12, 14(1), 14(2), 14(3), and 14(3)(c).”

    “The applicant, Chief Adeyemo is a Nigerian citizen of ECOWAS, a husband, father, businessman, philanthropist, political activist, and ultimately, a lover of the Yoruba. Inspired by insecurity, genocide, and crimes against humanity being perpetrated against the Yoruba People in Nigeria, Chief Sunday Adeyemo emerged as a political activist; he advocates for Self-Determination by the Yoruba pursuant to, Article 20(1) of the Banjul Charter, Article 1 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to ensure the security of the People via independence from Nigeria, seeing the government demonstrated that it cannot be trusted with this duty.

    As Nigeria is an ECOWAS member, being a citizen of Nigeria makes Chief Adeyemo a “community citizen,” he said.

    Ojaomo also stated that “Pursuant to Article 1(1)(a) of the ECOWAS protocol A/P3/5/83, the Respondent is a member state of the Economic Community of West African States.

    Chief Adeyemo is a leading voice condemning the terrorism suffered by farmers and other rural dwellers in the Southwest region of Nigeria, where many of the victims who survived have identified their assailants as being of Fulani extraction.

    Igboho’s counsel further stated: “During his advocacy, Chief Adeyemo signed a compelling petition to the

    International Criminal Court (“ICC”) under the Rome Statute.

    He also stated that The ICC Submission alleged collusion by officials of the Nigerian government to commit genocide and crimes against humanity, perpetrated against the Yoruba People, to wrestle-away ancestral lands.

    According to Ojaomo on Thursday, July 1, 2021, a battalion of Nigerian soldiers attacked Chief Adeyemo at his home in Soka, Ibadan, where several gunshots were fired at his home, which contained Chief Adeyemo, his family, friends, and associates.

    “During the attack on Chief Adeyemo, which was executed without a search warrant or an arrest warrant, the soldiers committed murder, and arrested several of Chief Adeyemo’s visitors, including the popular media personality, Ms Oluwakemi Ifeoluwa AKA “Lady K.”

    During the attack on Chief Adeyemo’s home, before the soldiers discovered Lady K’s location and arrested her, she started a live stream documenting the ordeal in real-time.

    During the attack on Chief Adeyemo’shome; gunshots interrupt Lady K’s broadcast, as she alternated between Yoruba and English, but for Lady K’s live stream during the Nigerian government’s attack, the soldiers’ attack at Chief Adeyemo’s home would, as usual, have been credited to the typical “unknown.

    “In the wake of the Nigerian soldiers’ attack on Chief Adeyemo, he went into hiding.

    Ultimately, Chief Adeyemo became a political refugee who escaped Nigeria en route to Germany, by travelling through the neighbouring Benin Republic.

    “On or about Monday, July 19, 2021, Chief Adeyemo’s journey was truncated when Benin officials arrested him and his wife at the Cadjehoun Airport in Cotonou; he has since been held prisoner in Benin, without any criminal charges or due process pending in Benin,” he said.

    Ojaomo said, “While imprisoned in Benin, Chief Adeyemo’s lawyer filed a lawsuit on his behalf in Oyo State High Court, seeking damages against Nigeria’s attorney general, Abubakar Malami, the State Security Services (“SSS”), and Central Bank of Nigeria (“CBN”).

    “On September 17, 2021, the Oyo State High Court ruled in affirmation of Chief Adeyemo’s right to political activity in pursuit of self-determination for the Yoruba People and ordered payment of #20,000,000,000 in damages to Chief Adeyemo in Suit No. M/435/2021.

    “As of the filing of this application, Benin is holding Chief Adeyemo as a prisoner, without due process, in violation of the: ECOWAS Treaty, Article 3(2)(d)(iii), Banjul Charter, Articles: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7(1), 12(1), 12(2), 12(3), and 17(2), Refugee Convention, Article 26, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Articles: 3, 5, 9, 12, 13, and 14, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Articles: 5(2), and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Articles: 9, 12, 14(1), 14(2), 14(3), and 14(3)(c).

    “By arbitrarily arresting and keeping Chief Adeyemo in prison, Benin caused him to suffer general damages including but not limited to his reputation, and dignity of the human person.

    “Benin is abusing its domestic judicial processes, feigning continuous court proceedings as an excuse to imprison and hold Chief Adeyemo, without legal basis, and without meaningful due process.

    “Whereas Chief Adeyemo is a political activist, turned refugee when he fled persecution and attempted murder by the Nigerian government, and en route to Germany, lawfully entered Benin pursuant to Article 3(2)(d)(iii) of the ECOWAS Treaty, and Article 2(1) of the ECOWAS Protocol A/P.1/5/79 Relating to Free Movement of Persons, Residence, and Establishment, and Article 26 of the Refugee Convention.

    “By virtue of the facts set forth in this Application: arresting Chief Adeyemo, seizing his passport, and holding him a prisoner, Benin continues to violate Chief Adeyemo’s fundamental human rights,

    as expressed in the following Treaties and Conventions, to which Benin is either a signatory or a state-party,” he said.

  • Benin Republic files fresh charges against Sunday Igboho

    Benin Republic files fresh charges against Sunday Igboho

    Benin Republic has filed fresh charges against Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, who was arrested in the country last Monday.

    Ibrahim Salami, one of the Cotonou, Benin Republic-based lawyers of Sunday Igboho, disclosed the new charges after Monday’s hearing, where Igboho was ordered to remain in police custody in Benin Republic.

    Before the hearing, Salami had said that the legal team was expecting extradition charges from the Nigerian government against the activist.

    However, he said Sunday Igboho was confronted with fresh charges when he appeared on Monday.

    The law professor said Igboho was further remanded to allow police to conduct a thorough investigation into the charges, which included illegal migration, dubious connivance with immigration officers and an attempt to cause civil unrest.

    Salami had expected that Igboho would be freed on Monday because the Federal Government had yet to file formal extradition charges against Igboho.

    He explained that the previous allegations that warranted placing Igboho on a watchlist had successful being tackled during the hearing.

    Some of the allegations, which he said could not be proved, are trafficking in arms, inciting violence that could result in social disturbance and causing disunity in Nigeria.

    “First, the judge ruled that Sunday Igboho entered into the Benin Republic through an illegal means. They also want to investigate how Sunday Igboho conspired with others to enter Benin Republic through wrong means.

    “They also want to know how long he has been in Benin republic and his plans in the country. They also raised a charge on whether he wants to come and cause unrest or social disturbance in Benin Republic,” the lawyer said in an interview with BBC Yoruba.

  • Sunday Igboho reportedly seeks asylum in Benin Republic

    Sunday Igboho reportedly seeks asylum in Benin Republic

    Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has reportedly filed for asylum in Benin republic.

    Igboho was arrested on Monday, July 19, while he and his wife, Ropo, were making plans to fly to Germany. He was charged and arraigned in court for attempting to fly with a fake Beninoise passport.

    A source who is close to the agitator says he has filed for an application to be a political refugee in Benin republic.

    “He (Igboho) was already at the airport with a passport. The immigration officers suspected his passport to be fake and so they stopped him. A passport was allegedly forged for Igboho in the Benin Republic for the purpose of the Germany trip.

    At the airport, they discovered he was the one. Igboho has already applied for asylum in Germany and he hopes to file a similar application in Benin Republic in the coming days,” the source stated.

  • Benin Republic may reject Igboho’s extradition

    Benin Republic may reject Igboho’s extradition

    Benin Republic may reject the extradition of arrested Yoruba Nation Agitator Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, The Nation has learnt.

    Daybreak has reported Igboho was arrested at an airport in Cotonou on Monday night while attempting to flee to Germany.

    Leader of the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups, Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO), Professor Emeritus Banji Akintoye, confirmed to The Nation Yoruba Patriots are working hard to provide assistance for Ighoho towards preventing his extradition to Nigeria because “Benin Republic is a land that respects the rules of law”.


    He called on all Yoruba people within and beyond the shores of Nigeria to ensure their ancestral land is not defeated by invaders.

    “I received last night the troubling information that Chief Sunday Adeyemo fondly called Igboho had been arrested at the Cotonou Airport.

    “I and other Yoruba Patriots who are immediately available are now working to provide the assistance necessary to ensure that nobody will be able to do to him anything unlawful or primitive and to prevent him from being extradited into Nigeria which is strongly possible.

    “Fortunately, Benin Republic is reliably a land of law where the authorities responsibly obey the law. We have secured the services of a leading and highly respected lawyer whom we can confidently rely on.

    “What the situation now calls for is that the Yoruba nation at home and in Diapora must stand strong, resolved that neither Sunday Igboho nor any other Yoruba person will henceforth be subjected to inhuman or dehumanising treatment of any kind.

    “We Yoruba nation are, by the grace of God, a very strong nation. We must arise now to show that strength.

    “For a start, we must all see to it now that Sunday Ighoho will get his freedom back so as to be able to move and operate as a free person. We all know he has committed no crime.”

    He added: “We know that some people are trying to suppress or even eliminate him only because he stood up to defend his kinsmen, women and children who are being massively killed and raped in their ancestral home Land; who are having their assets and means of livelihood destroyed, and who are facing ethnic cleansing and even genocide without having the benefit of protection by the rulers of their country.

    “We know, furthermore, that for the protection of his people who are being brutalised, he has joined hands with many of his brethren to take the legally-appropriate step, namely to seek the intervention of the International Criminal Court.”

  • Buhari appoints Buratai ambassador to Benin Republic

    Buhari appoints Buratai ambassador to Benin Republic

    A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (retd.), has been named Ambassador to the Benin Republic.

    A former Defence Chief, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (retd.), was named the Head of Mission to Cameroon.

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, according to a statement by the Information Officer in the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, presented letters of credence to the ex-service chiefs, during a brief ceremony in Abuja.

    He said, “The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Geoffrey Onyeama today, June 22, 2021, presented Letters of Credence to the Ambassador-Designate of Nigeria to the Republic of Cameroon, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (retd.), and the Ambassador-Designate of Nigeria to the Republic of Benin, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (Retd.).

    “The Minister of Foreign Affairs during the brief ceremony congratulated the immediate-past service chiefs on their appointment by Mr. President and called on them to deploy their wealth of experience to promote Nigeria’s interest during their tour of duty in countries of accreditation.”

    The statement was, however, silent on the posting of the other former service chiefs – former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok- Ette Ibas (retd), ex-Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar (retd.); and former Chief of Defense Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Usman (retd.).

    President Muhammadu Buhari had on February 4, 2021, appointed the ex-service chiefs as non-career Ambassadors.

    The President appointed the ex-service chiefs in 2015 and refused to bow to the pressure to relieve them of their duties until they “voluntarily resigned”.

    Before their “retirement” there were widespread calls for their removal over failure to contain insecurity.

    Their appointment as Nigeria’s ambassadors to foreign countries sparked public outrage, with calls on the Senate to reject their nominations.

    Despite the outrage, the Senate, on February 23, 2021, confirmed their nominations.

  • Senate urges FG to return IDPs in Benin Republic

    Senate urges FG to return IDPs in Benin Republic

    The Senate on Wednesday enjoined the Federal Government to ensure the urgent return of the people of Yewa in Ogun State who relocated to the Republic of Benin following incessant herdsmen attacks on their communities.

    It urged the Federal Government to direct officials of the National Emergency Management Agency and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, to bring them back.

    The resolution of the upper chamber followed a point of order moved by the Senator representing Ogun West, Tolu Adebayo.The Senate also urged security agencies to restore law and order in the affected communities.

    Details shortly…