The Nigerian activist and Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, paid for his botched Cotonou-Paris-Hamburg flight through a United Kingdom-based travel company, findings by The PUNCH have shown.
Further findings also revealed the ticket was paid for in British pound sterling using a cheque as means of payment.
Igboho, following a security raid on his Ibadan home in Oyo State by operatives of the Department of State Services, planned a trip to Germany to join his family but was arrested at the Cotonou Airport on July 19, 2021, by the Republic of Benin authorities.
The activist was arrested at the request of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Nigerian government later requested Igboho’s extradition but the Republic of Benin government reportedly refused the request on the grounds that Igboho needed to complete his trial in the country for allegedly violating its travel laws.
The Yoruba Nation agitator is still facing trial in the Republic of Benin as his lawyers continue to battle the West African nation’s government for his release.
However, latest findings by The PUNCH showed that Igboho was to travel on Air France from the Republic of Benin via France to join his family in Germany on July 19, 2021.
He was to travel on flight AF700, which would depart the Republic of Benin for France before a connecting flight to Germany.
According to findings from airport and aviation officials, the Cotonou-Paris-Hamburg flight was to depart Cotonou Airport at 11.35pm and arrive at the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at 5.20pm the following day, July 20, 2021.
Igboho was them expected to connect his next flight at CDG by 09.30am to arrive at Hamburg Airport by 11.40am on the same day.
However, he could not make any of the flights due to his arrest by the Republic of Benin authorities.
Further findings revealed that the UK travel firm, which bought the ticket using cheque as means of payment, had since claimed the ticket refund.
It was gathered that the Business Class Cotonou-Hamburg ticket had cost £2,685.
Copyright PUNCH.
