Pandemonium as Soldiers Invade Ekiti Town over Colleague’s Death
Monarch petitions Fayemi over indiscriminate arrests of subjects
Pandemonium broke out in Ogotun-Ekiti in Ekiti Southwest Local Government Area of Ekiti State last week as soldiers invaded the town over alleged killing of one of their members by armed men.
This is coming as a traditional ruler in the state and the Owa Ilogbo of Ilogbo Ekiti in Ido/ Osi Local Government Area, Oba Edward Oke Ajayi, has petitioned the state Governor, Kayode Fayemi, over alleged indiscriminate arrest of his subjects by the police on what he called trumped-up allegation of being secret cult members.
The soldier was reportedly killed by suspected armed robbers last Wednesday, a development that has sparked the invasion of the community by scores of soldiers.
As the community had come under siege, many residents have left the town, others who are afraid of going out are staying indoors.
A leader in the town, Mr. Paul Awopetu, who narrated the incident to journalists, said a resident was killed by suspected robbers at Olori Oko farmstead in Ogotun.
Awopetu disclosed that one person who escaped from the robbery scene reported the incident to soldiers manning a checkpoint between Ogotun and neighbouring Igbara Odo.
He added: “Two soldiers followed the person who escaped from the farmstead but the robbers killed one of the soldiers.
“As I am talking to you now, many soldiers are patrolling Ogotun in 12 Hilux vans.
“The soldiers are combing the bushes, forest and surrounding farmsteads in search of the robbers who killed their colleague.”
The state police spokesman, Caleb Ikechukwu, said: “The incident has come to my notice, I have been duly informed about the soldier killed by unidentified gunmen. That is the information at my disposal for now.
“Intensive search is going on now but I cannot ascertain the number of soldiers but if you kill a soldier you should expect the military go into action.
“We have deployed our men to join in the search for the culprits who committed the crime.”
In a another development, a traditional ruler in the state and the Owa Ilogbo of Ilogbo Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, Oba Edward Oke Ajayi, has petitioned Governor Fayemi, over alleged indiscriminate arrest of his subjects by the police on what he called trumped-up allegation of being secret cult members.
Oba Ajayi, in a petition dated October 28 and personally signed by him, urged the governor to intervene in the crisis that broke out among some youths culminating in the death of a man identified as Bolu Adeleye.
The monarch added that Fayemi should also warn the police from Ido
Ekiti division of the state command to stop clamping down his subjects into detention over ‘unfounded’ allegation of being members of secret cult, saying over 15 youths are currently being detained at the police headquarters in spite of no verifiable evidence linking them to cultism.
Some youths had on October 21 besieged the palace at Ilogbo, vandalised the building and destroyed some vehicles owing to allegation that some youths who fought in the community suspected to be cultists were being kept in the palace.
Oba Ajayi described as a blatant lie, position canvassed by the complainants and a faction in the crisis, Kayode Omojola, Gbenga Omojola, Femi Olabamija and one Apiaka, that he (the monarch) was using his palace to shield a group of youths belonging to a dreaded secret cult. Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The plaintiff, through his lawyer, Okere Nnamdi, asked the court, in the substantive suit, to conduct a judicial review of the administrative action/inaction of the defendants to perform their constitutional and statutory mandates and obligations in connection with the investigation and prosecution of Kachikwu and also sought leave to commence the suit on October 10.
But the suit was yesterday thrown out by the same court, thus vindicating Kachikwu, who had at various times insisted on compliance with the relevant law and rules in the declaration of his assets as against speculations flying around that his declaration was fraudulent. When contacted, the minister’s media office, reassured all well-wishers of their principal’s disposition to upholding the law, adding also that he would never be distracted by such orchestrated distractions.