The Police in Ekiti on Tuesday arrested and detained the Oba Lawrence Bamidele Idowu, Olu-Ifon, Ifon Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti for alleged impersonation.
The
News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the monarch was allegedly
involved in a community crisis which reportedly claimed the life of an
80-year-old High Chief, who was also the Elejoka of Ibalogun, Chief Bello Ojo.
The deceased’s daughter, Mrs Bunmi Fajana,
alleged that his late father was manhandled by some people suspected to
be thugs while rescuing his 14-year-old son allegedly abducted by the
thugs.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Alberto Adeyemi, confirmed the development to the NAN.
He
said the old man slumped and died while in company of others going to
inspect property destroyed following the confusion that trailed the
arrest of the monarch.
According to
community sources, the arrest, said to have been carried out in the
early hours of Tuesday, was effected by SARS, who reportedly stormed
the community and whisked away some people, including the monarch.
The
source, however, could not ascertain the number of those arrested,
saying that those arrested were already being detained at the police
station.
The source alleged that the
police, who came around 4a.m in eight pick up vehicles, marked ‘SARS’,
allegedly vandalized some of the property at Idowu’s palace before they
could gain entrance to arrest the monarch.
The
Police Public Relations Officer said that the monarch was arrested for
parading himself as the traditional ruler of the community, when he is
not, an action, he said was capable of causing crisis in the community.
He also said Idowu would be charged to court for impersonation.
According
to the PPRO, the community already had a traditional ruler recognized
by the state government, saying that Idowu came from Ogun state to
install himself as another king, thereby causing anarchy in the
community.
Adeyemi added, “The real Olufon was installed and was recognised by the state government.
“But
he (Idowu) came from Ogun state and installed himself as another Oba
against the tradition of the community and law of the country,” he said.
The police spokesman alleged that several personal efforts by the state Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Chafe, to resolving the chieftaincy crisis in the community had not yielded fruits.
He alleged that Idowu had turned down several invitations extended to him by the CP for dialogue.
“The
chairman of the Traditional Council in Oye Local Government reported
him (Idowu) to the CP, the commissioner invited him several times for a
meeting to have his own side but he refused to show up.
“And we will not sit back and allow anybody to cause the breach of the law in any part of the state.
“We are going to charge him to court and if he is found guilty, that is seven years imprisonment,” the PPRO declared.
In his reaction, Idowu denied the allegation that he installed himself as an Oba of the community.
He
said contrary to insinuation, he was not based in Ogun state as
alleged by the police but that the head of the kingmakers in ruling
house, Chief Abraham Akanle, who installed him, was based in Lagos.
NAN
reports that under Omu Ekiti, it was gathered, Ifon, Ibalogun and Arin
Omu are the three quarters that came together to run a confederation
system of government in the community.
It
was learnt that Akanle, who holds the traditional title Obaisa of the
community, had, while installing Idowu as the new Olufon, dismissed the
previous exercise as an “exercise in futility,” saying he had the sole
right to present Olufon to the people and the government.
The PPRO said one of the suspected thugs had also been arrested and normalcy had returned to the community.
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