Former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of
International Affairs, Prof Bola Akinterinwa, says the Federal Government of
Nigeria can’t arm-twist Benin Republic into extraditing Yoruba Nation
arrowhead, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.
He said this is because the Benin Republic, like other
former French colonies, represents French interest in West Africa. Benin
Republic (formerly known as Dahomey) gained full independence from France on
August 1, 1960.
The diplomat made this known on Wednesday while featuring on PUNCH
Online interview programme, The Roundtable.
The septuagenarian also advised the Federal Government to
stop the use of force on agitators and explore amicable resolutions.
The regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.),
has, in recent times, clamped down on secession agitators from Southern
Nigeria. The agitators had set out to break away from Nigeria, citing
dissatisfaction, perceived injustice, and insecurity.
Leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi
Kanu, is currently in the custody of the Department of State Services after he
was extradited from a foreign country.
Similarly, the Buhari regime declared Igboho wanted and the
regime has been pushing for the extradition of the activist who was arrested by
Interpol in Benin Republic on Monday at the behest of the Nigerian government.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to
Benin Republic, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), an immediate past Chief of Army
Staff, has been pushing for the extradition of Igboho to Abuja.
However, Igboho’s lead counsel, Yomi Alliyu (SAN), noted
that his client could not be extradited because the 1984 Extradition Treaty
between Nigeria, Benin and two others excluded political refugees like Igboho
and his wife, Ropo.
It was gathered that the Federal Government planned to
extradite the activist on Wednesday (yesterday), but the Benin Republic
insisted that it would not be part of any process that was against due process.
Responding to a question on
Wednesday, former NIIA DG Akinterinwa said, “At the level of Benin Republic, if
you are talking about arm-twisting, an elephant, even a lion, as big and
powerful as it is, if it is bitten by a small mosquito, then you can know the
consequences. It is not a question that Nigeria is big and powerful that you
can arm-twist anybody, no, it doesn’t work that way.
“The relationship between the Benin Republic and Nigeria is
not determined only at the level of the Benin Republic. Benin Republic is
francophone, that means that it is dealing with France and the relationship at
the level of France and Nigeria you can understand it without any rocket science.
“The French government does not want the government of
Nigeria to have the capacity to use Benin Republic or the Francophone
neighbours to the detriment of French interest in West Africa as much as the
government of Nigeria won’t want to be used by the Francophone neighbours
against Nigeria’s interest in the immediate neighbourhood.
“So, even if you close borders all along, borders are not
closed against the immediate neighbours, they are also closed against the
French. So, any battle, any arm-twisting that you are thinking of should be put
in the context of French interest and particularly the Francophone interest.
“Any misunderstanding between a Francophone country –
whether an immediate neighbour or far distant neighbour – is necessarily an
issue at the level of Nigeria and the Francophone community; they think alike,
they work together, they address issues together.”
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