Cultism: Ekiti Oba Petitions Fayemi Over Indiscriminate Arrest Of Subjects
A traditional ruler in Ekiti State and the Owa Ilogbo of Ilogbo Ekiti
in Ido/Osi local government, Oba Edward Oke Ajayi, has petitioned
Governor Kayode Fayemi, complaining over indiscriminate arrest of his
subjects by the police over 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 Ekiti 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 and
vandalized the building and destroyed some vehicles owing to
allegation that some youths who fought in the community and suspected
to be secret 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; Messrs Kayode Omojola,
Gbenga Omojola, , Femi Olabamija and one Apiaka, that he was using
his palace to shield a group of youths belonging to a dreaded secret
cult .
Narrating his ordeal to the governor, Oba Ajayi clarified that he had
since that day abandoned the community when the aforementioned
personalities , had threatened to deal with him after vandalizing his
palace and burnt down a Toyota Previa parked therein on the day the
crisis broke out .
He also fingered the personalities as being allegedly aiding the
police to arrest more people under trumped-up charge of cultism ,
which the police themselves found to be untrue.
The letter reads: “I wish to inform you sir, that the news going
round the media and town about the crisis was purely cooked up lies. I
hereby write to brief you on what really happened, the role I have
played and the situation of things now. It happened on Sunday, October
21
“On Monday 22nd October, 2018, as a king of the town I called for
peace meeting inviting the chiefs to settle the matter between these
youths. Those that arrived earlier and were seated with me at the
palace were Chief Ajirowa, Chief Obalua, Chief Olosun and Chief Alawo
Ifa.
“A version of those fighting was also seated and they are: Bayo
Omotoso, Ajayi Adeyemi, Femi Oluwadare, Jimoh Hameed, Ajirotutu Ojo,
Olajide Morakinyo and Oluwateru Kayode, while waiting for the other
aggrieved group for the meeting to commence.
“The other aggrieved group which consists of Kayode Omojola, Gbenga
Omojola, Femi Olabamijo and Apiaka, arrived at the palace, instead of
sitting down for the discussion, one of them used the walking stick
in his hand to hit the boys seated in my presence and other invited
chiefs.
“ They also started attacking my palace, vandalizing and burning
palace properties including all vehicles packed within the palace
vicinity. It was in the midst of that confusion that Apiaka shouted
that someone has been killed around the town hall which is about 150
meters away from the palace and I later got to know it was Bolu
Adeleye by name. The deceased was never seen at the palace and was not
part of those invited.
“Sir, I will like to clarify that there is no iota of truth in all of
these allegations of cult related issues in this crisis. My son ,
Ajayi Adeleye who was alleged to be arrowhead of the crisis was not
in town as at the time of the crisis, he has never been reported on
any cult related cases and as at five years ago he commenced his
degree programme.
“All my children were born and raised in the town and they have no
other home hence cannot be a terror to their own people.
“I call for your help because as we speak only those boys that were
seated with us in the palace were arrested, the other group were
exonerated and as we speak they are still moving about freely. Your
prompt intervention would go a long way at restoring peace to my
town”, he concluded.
