Ikoyi attack: Ogbomoso monarchs in Oriire LG decry security agents' inaction, as victims narrate ordeals

Ikoyi attack: Ogbomoso monarchs in Oriire LG decry security agents’ inaction, as victims narrate ordeals

Niyi AJALA

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Concerned Ogbomoso Obas, Baales and Chiefs on Oriire local government area of Oyo state, have called out security agents especially the Police for allowing the “perpetrators” of Ikoyi mayhem last Tuesday (April 14) to be walking free a week after.

This was the highlight of a press conference held today (Monday) by the concerned traditional rulers at the Palace of Onifedegbo of Fedegbo HRM Oba Olaosebikan Gbolagunte Takutanpa l.

ogbomosoinsightonline.com recalls that the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III hurriedly cancelled a scheduled townhall meeting last week at Oriire local government Secretariat due to a mayhem that ensued in which the Oba’s advance team claimed they were attacked by youths and miscreants suspected to be of Ikoyi origin.

Several viral videos showed the protesting youths forcing passers by suspected to be of Ogbomoso origin to heap condemnation on Oba Ghandi. Those who refused were molested.

There has also been viral video in which a certain Balogun of Ikoyi was hailed as the brain behind the offensive action. The aggrieved Ogbomoso monarchs wondered why the law enforcement agents have not made any arrest since then.

They claimed those of them who live beyond Ikoyi-Ile since the savagery have been facing constant harassments while in transit. “Some of us traveling through Ikoyi are being called thieves, they throw stones at us, at least six of us have been victims,” their spokesman Onipamo of Elerepamo High Chief Ayobami Ezekiel Olajide said.

“What is baffling and that is very painful is that since April 14, we have not seen or heard about justice being served. This is the 20th of April, a whole week after. No arrest has been made. Also, some monarchs were passing through Ikoyi and they were shouting “thief” “thief.” They beat some, and destroy people’s properties, vandalize our people’s plate numbers. So, we are asking government, should we not go to eke out a living again, go to our places of work in Ogbomoso? Why would they be waylaying us without government doing anything? The Area Commander and the DPO are aware yet no suspect was arrested. That is why they continue to attack people, this is saddening. If no one is apprehended they will be emboldened to continue to perpetrate the barbarity. Moreover, a video emerged in the social media in which someone claimed he ordered the attack and he was hailed by youths in Ikoyi for it, the law enforcement agents must have seen the video too yet nothing is done,” Onipamo alleged.

He further declared, “We the representatives of Ogbomoso Mornachs in Orire Local Government of Oyo State hereby strongly condemn the despicable, lawless, disgusting and violent actions of miscreants in Ikoyi on Tuesday the 14th of April, 2026. The scheduled visit of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Orumogege III, the Soun of Ogbomoso Land, to visit Orire Local Government and discuss His 25 year Development Plan, was turned into mayhem, vicious attacks on innocent citizens, threat to life and wanton destruction of property by Ikoyi Ile thugs,” the Obas noted in their address.

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They claimed meetings of the traditional rulers in the council area were held thrice which had in attendance members of the Onikoyi-in-Council including the Balogun of Ikoyi and Asipa, and that they all resolved to invite Oba Ghandi to come and that when they declined to welcome him in Ikoyi we agreed on hosting him at the local government secretariat. They expressed surprise at the crisis fomented on the day of the meeting.

“The visit was agreed to by the Orire Local Government Traditional Council and members of the Onikoyi-louncil. It was resolved, by both parties, at the meeting held at the Orire Local Government Secretariat that the meeting should take place in the premises of the Local Government Secretariat because there was no Onikoyi on seat to welcome His Imperial Majesty to Ikoyi Town.

“Our suprise and disbelief can only be imagined when innocent citizens were being attacked with stones, matchets and guns by thugs from Ikoyi lle at the venue that morning!!! This is totally unacceptable.”

They disclosed Oriire local government is not owned by the Ikoyis alone noting there are four groupings in Oriire including Ogbomoso, Ilorin, Oyo and Ikoyi. It was added that there are over 700 registered villages and towns in the council area with over 186 polling booths. They were furious that the Ikoyi people claiming ownership do not have more than seven polling centres. “So we are surprised by their action.”

“It was a consensus by all traditional council members to invite Oba Ghandi including the Balogun Ikoyi, Asipa, Olotefon, Areago, five of them, and we met three times. It was agreed Kabiyesi should not enter Ikoyi town but the secretariat. It was after that we wrote Kabiyesi to come. We invited him to discuss his development plans with us, what we can benefit.”

Emphasizing the alleged inaction by security agents, they warned it would only lead to escalation of the crisis. “Nigeria is a country governed by the constitution which upholds the rule of law, human rights, freedom of movement, expression and association. Such a lawless act as we have seen perpetuated in Ikoyi Ile should not be tolerated in a civilized society. Even as we speak, some of us are in grave danger because we need to pass through Ikoyi lie to get to our domains. There has been a number of dangerous and violent harassments while passing through Ikoyi Ile. This cannot be allowed to continue.

“We are appealing to the relevant law enforcement agencies to put a stop to these despicable and lawless actions. If the appropriate diciplinary measures are and people are allowed to get away with lawlessness, only God knows where all this will end.”

Meanwhile, they urged the people of Ogbomoso to remain calm in the “face of provocation. Ogbomoso people are known to be peaceful so we should not allow the peace to be ruptured. Government should broker peace.”

“But if government continues to treat it with lackadaisical attitude it is like allowing the people to sit on the keg of powder. Only Ikoyi is the main cause of the problem. This same Ikoyi is on Ogbomosoland as per the Supreme Court judgement of 1984, the court gave the land to Ogbomoso. It should be noted that Ikoyi people are now targeting all Ogbomoso people.”

Victims

How we were attacked – Victims

Olafimihan Olatunde Oluoje narrating his near-death experience told newsmen: ”I just returned from the farm at about 11am, myself and my brother-in-law. We came home to get food for workmen in our farms and l said let me quickly go out to eat. As l was eating l heard people alerting me that I was about to be attacked. And truly they came numbering over hundred and shouting he’s from Ogbomoso, he is Ogbomoso and they started beating me attacking me with cutlasses, stones, cudgels, and shooting. They dragged me down and hit me with boulders. They dragged me to my mother-in-law’s house in Saamo, they beat my mother-in-law too, and destroyed her house and still stole money. I just left hospital two days ago, but my mother-in-law is still at a hospital. If not that people alerted my brother-in-law, may be they would have killed me.”

The said brother-in-law, Mr. Adegoke Sunday, alias Kowope, a commercial driver and who is a branch chairman at Iluju (a neighbouring town), corroborating Oluoje said, “We just returned from our farm at Saamo, and my brother-in-law went to eat, some people just rushed to call me that they were about to kill my brother-in-law. We rushed there and saw him being attacked, as they saw me they attacked me too slashing me with cutlasses and hitting me with other weapons, but we managed to escape. They pursued us home where they beat my mother and damaged our house and stole her money. They also destroyed another house. They mobilised themselves, those who came to attack us, they were more 100. Yet policemen were there and did nothing.”

He noted he knew Oba Ghandi was coming but that they had nothing to do with the meeting. “So, why should they vent anger on us, justice must be served,” he appealed.

Some of the traditional rulers at the press conference are Oloolo of Oolo, Oba Michael Oyebunmi Ajayi; Onipamo of Elere Pamo Oba Ogunmakinde Ayobamo; Alaropo of Alaropo Nla, Oba Zacheus Olayode Oladapo; Oniwesu,Oba Abraham Aworinde; Alara Fapote, Oba John Ogundipe; and Onimaya of Maya, Oba Iyiola Olayınka Alabi.

Some others are Olugbode of Gbode High Chief Adelowo Phillip Olayode; Onilasubu of Lasubu, Oba David Ogunwale; High Chief Adebayo Akano, Onimoleyo of Moleyo; Elesinele of Elesinele Oyo, Oba David Oladele Taiwο; High Chief Adigun Joseph, Onibowula of Bowula; and Chief Olanlokun Olakanmi Omikunle Alasaate of Aronpe Asaate.