Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere and the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), on Tuesday faulted the government of Benin Republic for increasing the tenure of Sunday Igboho in their detention by six months.
Igboho’s lead counsel, Chief Yomi Alliyu (SAN), had on Monday, said the Beninese government had added six months to Igboho’s term in their detention.
While reacting to this, Afenifere condemned the government, saying it was disappointed.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere said: “As of today, Sunday Igboho has spent about 204 days in Benin detention. This is much longer than it should be for a person who had not been convicted of any offence and a person who is not a criminal by any standard.
“Extending the detention of anyone who had not been convicted of any offence is against the law of any country that claims to be guided by the rule of law.
“We call on the Benin Republic government to rescind this ruling by its court to redeem its receding image on its respect for the rule of law.
“Benin deserves a better record. Its extension of Igboho’s detention would only worsen its image if not reversed.
“We urge the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to loosen the grip it has on nation-state agitators like Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu as well as enhance its human rights record.
“By so doing, political tension in the country will reduce, socio-economic activities will be boosted with an improvement on the welfare of the people just as lives and properties in Nigeria would be more secure.”
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the YCE, Dr Kunle Olajide, also faulted the move by the Beninese government.
“They cannot do it because it is a judicial decision. I don’t think any government can interfere with that and in any case, we have Nigeria’s representative in the Benin Republic.
“I don’t believe that is feasible. It is wrong and they should not, in any way, do that,” the secretary said.