Kingship Tussle: Police Summon Ekiti Monarch Over alleged Threat

Agency ReporterSeptember 20, 2018

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The Police High Command, Abuja has summoned the Alara of Aramoko Ekiti, Oba Olu Adeyemi, over alleged threat to the life and vandalisation of the property of a contender to the Alara stool in the community, Omo’ba Olusegun Aderemi.

The summon followed an invitation of the monarch to the Police State Command Headquarters, Ado Ekiti last weekend over the matter.

Aderemi had petitioned the police in February, alleging threat to his life and vandalisation of his property including billboard by some individuals in the community.

He is locked in legal battle with the monarch, praying the court to remove Oba Adeyemi and declare him (Aderemi) instead as the Alara of Aramoko.

Men of Police Intelligence Response Team from Abuja, on the directive of the Inspector General (IG) to investigate the petition, was said to have discovered the torn billboard belonging to Aderemi in the palace of the monarch following which Oba Adeyemi was invited to the Police Command headquarters in Ado Ekiti for interrogation.

In a letter by the Principal Staff Officer to the IG, ACP Usman Umar, to the ACP, Intelligence Response Team entitled: “Re: Complaint for Threat to Life, Criminal Intimidation and Unlawful Destruction of Property Against Mr Omotayo Falope (aka Oloforo)”, the IG directed that the Team investigates the allegations and furnish him with report.

Sources said Falope, the principal suspect, led the police team, which was armed with search warrant, to the Alara’s Palace on allegation that the monarch had clue to the incident, leading to the alleged discovery of the torn billboard in the palace.

According to sources, Oba Adeyemi’s explanation at the Police State Command headquarters that some people saw the torn billboard and brought it to the palace thinking it belonged to the palace, prompted the security agency to ask him to report in Abuja on October 8 for further questioning.

But Oba Adeyemi, who earlier in the week said he was in Abuja and would be available at Aramoko Ekiti on Wednesday, told journalists on telephone on Thursday that he had traveled out of the country.

The monarch said: “I don’t want to react to this. I don’t have poster war with anybody. I am a traditional ruler, how do you want me to react to things like these? I am already out of Nigeria”.

Police Public Relations Officer in Ekiti State, Mr. Caleb Ikechukwu, said he has not been briefed on the matter, promising to get back as soon as he is briefed.

Aderemi, thorough his lawyers, Ogunremi Opeyemi, in a petition entitled “Complaint of Forcible Entry, Criminal Trespass, Malicious Damage, Threat to Life and Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace,” to the police and Department of State Services (DSS) had appealed for justice in the matter.

Similarly, the Ipaye Ijowa Quarter Development Association, Aramoko Ekiti, in a petition to police and DSS entitled “Report of Disturbance and Misconduct” called for institution of a commission of inquiry to investigate the case, which it said was capable of causing breach of peace.