The eight persons arrested in connection with the crisis that rocked Ajaawa, headquarters of Ogo-Oluwa local government, have been released by the police in Abuja.
The first batch comprising the wife of the deceased Araba Awo of the town, Chief Adeoye Ifaleye a.k.a. Babanifa and his two children, and driver, who were whisked away by the police while on their way to the Bowen University Teaching Hospital, BUTH, Ogbomoso with the wounded Babanifa on June 29 after he initially survived an invasion of his residence by the police, breathed the air of freedom last week.
The last batch consisting of the secretary of Alajaawa of Alajaawa, Oba Thompson Adeyeye Oyetunji; the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) operative attached to the Ogo-Oluwa council chairman, Mr. Seun Ojo, both of whom were arrested separately on July 10, at the residences of Alajaawa and the council chairman respectively following the failed attempt to arrest their principals; and two others arrested on June 29, one Oyeniran a.k.a. Patanla and Dipo a.k.a. Owo Adua, this morning regained their freedom.
It is learnt the four are on their way back from Abuja to Ajaawa, where they had been held since their arrest. They are in the company of Prince Gideon Oyekunle a.k.a. Ade Master, whose houses were burnt in Ajaawa and who was believed to have orchestrated their being taken into custody.
The council chairman, Ojo, was also in Abuja to receive the men but he chose to travel separately.
Oba Oyetunji confirmed the development to ogbomosoinsightonline.com during a telephone chat this evening.
The release of the eight was sequel to a peace meeting held last week in Ibadan at the residence of Gen Oladayo Popoola (rtd), brokered by the Joint Action Committee, JAC, an Ogbomoso umbrella body under the triumvirate leadership of Justice Afolabi Adeniran (rtd), Gen Popoola and Dr. Saka Balogun.
The Ogbomoso Community Youth Forum, OCYF, was believed to have played a prominent role in organizing the peace meeting between the two warring parties.
The meeting had ended with calls to Ade Master to seek the release of the eight people in detention and to the council chairman to see to the renovation of the razed houses of Ade Master, in conjunctions with the state government.
The arson was said to have been committed by a mob protesting the killing of a young man allegedly by security operatives attached to Ade Master during a peaceful demonstration over the spate of kidnappings and murder in the agrarian community at the time.
Also on his Facebook wall this evening, Hon Seun Ojo writing under the caption, “Ajaawa crisis,” disclosed, “The past few months had been a hard one on the inhabitants of the ancient town and her environment as a result of the unrest which led to many people fleeing the town and some were arrested and kept in police custody.
“I have been up and running for the past two weeks and infact had to fly to Abuja last week which took me out of other official engagements just to make sure peace is restored back to the town. To the glory of God, I succeeded in securing the release of all arrested persons and they will be reunited with their loved ones.
“The unfortunate crises led to the untimely death of some inhabitants of the community as well as a police officer. While I pray for their families to have the fortitude to bear the loses, I will pay condolences visits to their(the residents and the policeman) respective families soon.”
With the latest development it is hoped peace will return finally to Ajaawa.
