By Ismail Auwal
Sunday Igboho may be prosecuted following his detention in Benin Republic
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, indicated this in an interview with Channels TV on Monday.
He said the Federal Government will not interfere in the prosecution of the activist in Benin Republic since his alleged offence is a breach of the law of a foreign nation.
“It is a matter being prosecuted in a foreign country and within the context of that prosecution — one thing that is apparent and visible is that he has been taken to custody on account of breaching laws applicable in a foreign nation. With that in mind, he is being prosecuted,” he said.
The AGF said the Federal Government will allow the law of Benin Republic that was allegedly breached to take its “natural course”.
“We will allow the law of a nation that was indeed breached to take its natural course and then perhaps, maybe thereafter bring him back home after the conclusion of the trial over there for the purpose of facing the Nigerian law that was accordingly breached,” he added.
“The position of things is we are not interfering in aborting the existing prosecution in the foreign land, taking into consideration that the laws that were alleged to have been breached were indeed the laws of the foreign nation.”
When asked if a political solution is possible, Malami stated that one is not possible because the activist is on trial in a foreign country.
When Igboho returns to Nigeria, he said, a political solution could be considered.
“In terms of a political solution taken into consideration, he is standing trial in a foreign land. What is the political solution can we bring there?” the AGF answered.
“Not in terms of when he is standing trial at the foreign nation, so perhaps those considerations may be considered or perhaps brought to bear when he is eventually brought back after the conclusion of the trial at the foreign nation.”
Igboho was arrested in July 2021 at Cardinal Bernardin International Airport in Cotonou for allegedly possessing a forged passport.
The Nigerian government had declared him wanted just days before he was apprehended in Benin Republic for allegedly stockpiling arms in his residence.
