UPDATE: Igboho finds favor in Beninese court

After eight hours of interrogation by the Beninese appeal court, the wanted Yoruba nation separatist facing trial in Benin Republic got some relief on July 26.

It wasn’t exactly what Sunday Adeyemo Igboho and his lawyers wanted. That is not going to come on a saucer of gold.

The reason is that the Nigeria government seeking his extradition means it—with six lawyers, including French-speaking international lawyers, English-speaking lawyers, from both Nigeria and Benin.

Benin practices inquisitorial justice system—a systems that turns judges to investigators, interrogators, fact-finders. Unlike Nigeria’s adversarial system.

Igboho’s lawyers tried but fail to convince the judges on July 26. But the judges tempered justice with mercy, and granted Igboho access to his medical doctor—while in detention.

While his lawyers keep up hope, Nigeria, the National Daily reported earlier, is ready for diplomatic and legal battles.

“Our position is that Benin Republic stands to lose a lot if Igboho is not extradited to Nigeria,” sources within Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry said.

Igboho is facing allegations of forging Beninese travel documents, and stockpiling weapons in Nigeria as he agigated for a Yoruba nation.