- Plots and counter-plots
00As controversy continued to trail the attacks on the Ekiti state High Court and the state Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal, Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital went up in flames yesterday morning as hoodlums protested the gruesome murder of former Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Chief Omolafe Aderiye.
It was reliably gathered that the former NURTW boss was killed by unidentified gun men that allegedly drove in a white Volkswagen car to his house and shot him at close range at about 8pm on Thursday.
One person was said to have died during the violent protest which was said to have lasted for hours before security agencies were able to bring the situation under control. Houses and other valuables worth millions of Naira were also said to have been destroyed.
Late Chief Omolafe Aderiye apart from being a former boss of the NURTW is also a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and was a loyalist of the governor elect, Mr. Ayo Fayose.
Following this development, the state governor, Mr. Kayode Fayemi has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in all parts of the state to avoid escalation of the violent protest through reprisal attacks.
In a state wide broadcast yesterday, the governor said: “I have taken the decision to institute dusk- to -dawn curfew in the state immediately. Accordingly, there would be no movement of persons and vehicles between the hours of 7p.m. and 7a.m. everyday till further notice.”
He also suspended his thank-you tour of the state; and he directed the Attorney General of the state to issue a legal advisory to the Chief Judge of the state and to all the parties involved in 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 the cases outside Ekiti State.
“The State can no longer afford to witness the bizarre spectacle of the beating of judicial officers and wanton intimidation of lawyers and court personnel,” Mr. Fayemi said.
While calling on all stakeholders in the State to cooperate with the government so as to stop the violence and brigandage that has brought about serious embarrassment to the State, Dr. Fayemi charged all and sundry to temper their competitive zeal with civility and empathy.
“In order to forestall further descent into anarchy in our state, I am taking the very difficult decision to suspend the Thank You tour which I am undertaking as part of our transitioning-out formalities. Also, I have taken the decision to institute a dusk –to- dawn curfew in the State immediately. Accordingly, there would be no movement between the hours of 7.00pm and 7.00am everyday till further notice”, he declared.
Speaking on the series of incidences that had sparked off crisis in the State, the Governor recalled the desecration of the Court and the beating and harassment of Judges, in the presence of law enforcement agents with inappropriate response, by thugs that act on the incitement of an interested party.
Dr Fayemi said he reliably gathered that the thugs again attempted to prevent the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal from sitting on Thursday when they acted on the order of the Governor-elect, Mr. Ayo Fayose who was present at the scene.
Fayemi who expressed worry that the obstruction of justice is a clear invitation to anarchy that characterized Ekiti state some years ago, urged all political actors in the State to exercise caution in the interest of the State.
“Considering the fact that the cases that have triggered the recent spate of violence are politically related, the political elite in our state from all disparate quarters must exercise caution. We must rescue our state from the precarious slippery slope that some have desperately pushed us into. We should not imperil the very people we seek to serve by resorting to violence and brigandage. One does not burn down his homestead to establish his claim of ownership or leadership.” He added.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Ado-Ekiti has condemned the Thursday’s attack on a judge of the Ekiti High Court, Justice John Aderiye by some people at the court premises and also condemned the killing of Chief Omolafe Aderiye, the former Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, by suspected assassins.
Briefing media men in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the Chairman, Mr. Joseph Adewumi and the Secretary, Mr Gbemiga Adaramola, said the desecration of the temple of justice would not be condoned by the NBA and should also be decried by justice and peace-loving Nigerians.
According to him, the association was still feeling bad about Monday’s incident during which the court room of a judge, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi was invaded, and it came as a shock that a repeat of the ugly incident took place.
On whether Justice Adeyeye was holding court session when the alleged attack took place, Adewumi said the NBA could not confirm that.
On the implications of the siege on the judiciary, Adewumi opined that it could lead to a state of anarchy.
The NBA therefore called for a thorough investigation of the incident and that anybody found culpable should be brought to book.
“God is there to judge every perpetrator of evil whether now or in the near future irrespective of status. The killing is not only ungodly, the destruction of human lives is condemnable,” he concluded.