Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has been set free in the Republic of Benin where he was arrested after fleeing from police in Nigeria two years ago, one of his lawyers said on Monday.

Igboho, who agitates for independence for the Yoruba ethnic group, was arrested in Benin in October 2021 while trying to fly to Germany.

Benin had charged the activist with “associating with criminals”. Last year, his lawyer said he had been given a conditional release for medical treatment, but not allowed to leave the country.

“He has been freed and he has left Benin,” his attorney Ibrahim Salami told AFP by text message on Monday.

Benin officials did not immediately comment on Igboho’s case.

Igboho had appeared in a video on social media thanking Benin President Patrice Talon and a former Nigerian president as well as Nobel prize winner Wole Soyinka for their support.

He appeared to be in a residential home, but he did not say where he was.

“To all our political class and all our Yorubaland, let’s join our hands to make Yoruba great,” he said.

Nigerian security officials fought an hour-long gun battle during a raid on Igboho’s home in Oyo State in October 2021, but he escaped.

They said they found weapons and arrested 12 men and one woman.

Police said at the time the finds were “confirmation of a grand plan by Igboho and his cohorts to wage a violent insurrection against the Nigerian State”.

By Khadijat Lawal

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