Traditional rulers in Ile-Ife have protested the police’ continued detention of a member of the traditional council in the state, Ademola Ademiluyi.
The monarch was arrested in connection with the March 8 bloody clash between the Yorubas and the Hausa community which resulted in the death of about 46 persons.
Leading the traditional rulers in the protest, the Laroka of Wanikin Ife, Kole Ojutalayo, told Newsmen on Thursday in Ile-Ife that a petition had been sent to the President, Muhammadu Buhari, the IGP, and the Governor of Osun State to register their displeasure.
He said the detention and the parade of Ademiluyi by the police was a desecration of Yoruba customs.
According to him, the police were partial in their treatment of the Yoruba traditional rulers in relation to the crisis.
“Ife obas, numbering 40, have written a protest letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and the same letter was sent to the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; and the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on the continued detention of the arrested monarch,” Mr. Ojutalayo said.
He said the traditional council of Ife was surprised that the police declared Oba Ademiluyi wanted on March 9 in connection with the clash even when available evidence showed that he was in Lagos when the fight broke out.
“Our investigation revealed that while in the custody of the Nigeria Police, Oba Ademola Adedewe Ademiluyi was stripped of his royal paraphernalia, including the removal of his cap, thereby exposing his bare head which is contrary to the Yoruba custom,” Ojutalayo stated.
“As if that was not enough, he was paraded at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, like a common criminal alongside other innocent Ile-Ife indigenes that were arrested.
“Your Excellency will agree with us that no emir or any other traditional chief in the northern part of Nigeria would ever have been degraded and ridiculed in the manner Oba Ademola Adedewe Ademiluyi was treated by the Nigeria Police.”
Meanwhile, the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has said the police have released 15 out of the 21 persons arrested over the Ife clash.
The Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, told Punch Newspapers that the 15 suspects were released unconditionally.
He however said Oba Ademiluyi, and five others were still in police custody.
Odumakin said the suspects were released to Ropo Oyewole, a member of the legal defence team.
Those released, according to Odumakin, include, Ayoola Abimbola, Bello Wahab, Peter Omisore, Adefisan Isaac, Adelekan Kehinde, Elufisan Akintoye, Omisanmi Isaac, Adejobe Monday, Olanrewaju Adebayo, Akanbi Adeyinka, Obimakin Samuel, Alhaji Zakariyu Abdulyakeen, Bamidele Elufisan, Clement Kehinde and Akinyombo Seye.
The police have, however, yet to confirm the release.
Afenifere and other groups in the south west had condemned the alleged one-sided arrest after the mayhem, saying the police arrested only Yoruba people despite the fact that casualties were recorded from both sides.
The Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, amidst the outcry, set up a commission of enquiry to investigate the crisis and recommend ways to forestall such in future.
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