Mayhem reigns in Ekiti •Party offices, houses, cars burnt •12-hr curfew imposed •Fayemi seeks court sittings outside Ekiti ---via tribune.ng----- Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital was paralysed on Friday as violence erupted in the wake of the murder on Thursday night of a former state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Chief Omolafe Aderiye. The violence had commenced on Thursday night shortly after the murder of Aderiye, with angry people joined by suspected hoodlums engaging in the destruction of public and private properties, burning of vehicles as well as houses. The violence extended late into the night, leaving many people whose path crossed the New Garage, Ijigbo and Matthew Street areas of the town stranded. Friday morning, the violence resumed with the perpetrators, believed in many quarters to be mostly made up of supporters of the slain drivers’ union chief, making bonfires and persisting in their destruction tendencies. By dawn, they had made bonfires on major roads in the town, with Ijigbo (where the transport company of the late Aderiye is located), Ojumose, Matthew, Okesa, Okeyinmi mostly affected, while they also set the campaign office of Governor Kayode Fayemi ablaze. They also set the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ado Ekiti Local Government Area (in Ereguru), on fire while vehicles parked in the premises of the APC state’s secretariat were also burnt. The home of the state chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Chief Rotimi Olanbiwoninu, aka Mentilo, was burnt while four of his vehicles were also burnt. Following the early morning widespread fracas, Ado Ekiti soon wore the look of a ghost town as vehicles were hurriedly withdrawn from the roads while businesses, including banks could not open for business. The sustained mayhem forced the deployment of armed mobile policemen to curtail the violence and restore order. The security operatives cordoned off part of the popular Fajuyi Square, especially the side to the governor’s office. People gathered in small groups discussing the development while the entire state capital remained deserted following the violence. ◆Fayemi declares indefinite curfew, blames Fayose for violence Meanwhile, Governor Kayode Fayemi has declared a dusk to dawn curfew in the wake of the violence that followed the murder of Chief Aderiye and blamed the governor-elect of the state, Mr. Ayò Fayose, for the current violence in the state. Governor Fayemi, who addressed the people of the state in a statewide broadcast, also said he was “advised incontrovertibly that thugs acting on the command of Mr. Ayo Fayose, who was also present to lend his clout to the travesty, brazenly assaulted a senior judge and urged his thugs to beat him up and tear his clothes.” He added that “the fact that this assault did not meet with any strong deterring repercussions from the appropriate authorities further emboldened the miscreants.” Governor Fayemi said the violence had “led to the closure of the courts indefinitely due to the inability of the security agencies to guarantee the safety of lives and property in our temples of justice. “With the entrenched atmosphere of impunity, violence in the state has escalated with the unfortunate loss of one life and the willful damage to several properties to arson by rampaging thugs.” Fayemi said he had contacted the heads of the various security agencies in the state but noted that “It is worrisome that the slow and inadequate response has occasioned the avoidable escalation of violence in our dear state.” He announced the suspension of his ongoing ‘Thank You’ tour “which I’m undertaking as part of our transitioning-out formalities,” and added that “I have taken the decision to institute a dusk to dawn curfew in the state immediately.” He said “there would be no movement between the hours of 7.00 p.m. and 7.00 a.m. everyday till further notice. We urge the citizenry to be vigilant and provide the security agencies with details of suspicious activities that can undermine the peace in our state.” On the court matter that ignited the violence, Fayemi said “the course of Justice can only be delayed, but can never be truncated,” saying “I have directed the Attorney General of the state to issue a legal advisory to the Chief Judge of the state and all the parties to the existing cases in the state High Court and the Ekiti State governorship elections petitions tribunal, on the desirability of seeking an alternative venue for the hearing of these cases outside Ekiti State.” ◆Fayose describes killing as barbaric, says Fayemi’s allegation ‘reckless’ Reacting to the development, Fayose, who visited theater home of the deceased to commiserate with his widows and the family members, described the murder of Aderiye, his strong supporter, as “barbaric.” He said that the murder happening at this point in time showed that “it is a political killing.” He said he would “rest it with the police to do a proper investigation,” saying “the murdered Aderiye was my very strong supporter. We were together till about 5pm yesterday, (Thursday).” He said “taking his life is not an option. It is not the best. This is irreparable and we have come here to condole with the family.” While pointing fingers, he said: “If this other party is sure they are not the ones responsible for the killing, they should be courageous enough to come and pay a condolence visit to his family.” Reacting to the mayhem that had paralysed Ado Ekiti, Fayose said: “What happened in town is a clear reaction of the people to the steps being taken by the out-going government to simply cause chaos in the state before their exit.” On the allegation by Fayemi that he caused the mayhem following the court proceeding, Fayose said “he (Fayemi) is a defeated man, so I don’t expect anything better from him.” “I see him as governor until his time is over so, I would rather not join issues with him. It is reckless for anybody to be making assertions on an incident you didn’t witness.” On the advice Fayemi said he would seek on his ongoing trial, Fayose said “I will want to accord the office due respect and not join issues with him. He has only said he has advised the Chief Judge. That is only an advice and there is nothing wrong with it.” Fayose said he had been “going round town to calm the framed nerves of the people,” saying “if we have not been calming the people since last night, you wouldn’t have seen the peace we have now,” saying “their target is to make sure that the inauguration doesn’t take place but my desire is to ensure there is peace and that is why I have been working hard to calm the people.” According to the governor-elect, “having failed in their bid to twist justice through the court, they have now resorted to self-help. But I’m assuring you that by the grace of God, because God abhors people who shed blood, the blood of Aderiye will fight his killers.” ◆Police begin manhunt for murderers, says arrests have been made The Ekiti State police command has announced that “a number of arrests have been made” in the violence that grounded Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Friday. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, through a statement on his behalf by Mr. Victor Babayemi, on Friday said “a number of suspects have been arrested and taken into custody for investigation in relation to the mayhem.” According to him, “the Command is also on the trail of the gunmen who shot and killed the former NURTW boss.” Lakanu charged residents of the state to remain calm and be law-abiding. “We equally enjoin the people to comply with the dust to dawn curfew order made by the governor of Ekiti State.” He also warned that “Any person or group of persons found flouting the order or breaking the law will be adequately dealt with in accordance with the law.” The statement said the Commissioner of Police again reacted by leading the DPOs and other officers on patrol to curtail the mayhem. “With prompt and decisive response, the situation in Ado-Ekiti metropolis was brought undcf ver effective control.” “This also paved the way for other agencies like Fire and Ambulance Services to respond to the emergency situation.”
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 08:08:01 +0000
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