Ekiti petitions IGP over alleged murder cases

Wants APC chairman, others arrested

Ekiti State Government has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, calling for the immediate arrest of the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Jide Awe; former member of the State House of Assembly, Hon Kehinde Boluwade; and thirteen others for alleged murder.

The government said that the APC chairman and four other members of the APC, namely Faboro John, Aniramu Basiru, Falayi Busuyi and Owonifari Sefiu were wanted for their alleged involvement in the murder of Ayo Murphy Jeje and Mrs. Julianah Adewumi as well as the attempted murder of Chief Clement Awoyelu, Gbenga Ogundana Adewumi and Chief Boluwaji Adewumi (aka Oba Odo) in Erinjiyan-Ekiti, Ekiti State, on March 30, 2013.

Also, Hon Boluwade, Ilesanmi Peter, Adedayo Kehinde, Afolabi Bayo Isola, Babalola Olomi, Malomo Alaba, Saidi Yinusa, Ayo Famoduro and Olawumi Fagborila were sought for alleged involvement in the murder of Foluso Ogundare on November 3, 2013 at Emure Ekiti in Emure Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

The case, according to the government is in court with Charge Number: HCE/1C/2016.

Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, in a letter to the IGP dated July 8, this year and copied to the Attorney General of the Federation, National Human Rights Commission and the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police decried the refusal of the police to arrest the accused persons despite several requests.

The letter reads in part: “I write in respect of the prosecution of series of murder and attempted murder cases pending before the High Courts of Ekiti State wherein the non-availability of Defendants has almost frustrated the prosecutions of these cases despite several requests by my office to the Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Police.

“The Ekiti State has requested the Nigeria Police, Ekiti State Command to effect the arrests of these ‘culprits’ but instead of effecting the arrests, the Police has refused and/or neglected to effect the arrests on the ground that such arrests should not be made except with the approval of the Police Force Headquarters, Abuja.

“The above case is in respect of the gruesome murder of the following deceased persons, Ayodele Jeje and Julianah Adewumi and the attempted murder of Chief Clement Awoyelu, Gbenga Ogundana Adewumi, Chief Boluwaji Adewumi (aka Oba Odo) by shooting at them with guns at Erijiyan Ekiti on or about 30th day of March, 2013 by the above mentioned accused persons.

“Since the Police has granted the accused persons administrative bails, they have not been present in Court, we have requested the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police to produce the accuse persons before the trial courts through a letter dated 4th September, 2015 with reference number: 10/s/2295/37.

“Up till now, despite the service of the letter above on the Ekiti State Police Command and several visits on the same subject matter, the Police is yet to produce them and/or effect their arrest.

“It should be noted that these offences were committed when the All Progressives Congress (APC) was in government in Ekiti State and investigations were conducted even up to the level of your (IGP) office and these Defendants/Accused Persons were charged to court then but they were released on bail by the Police.

“It should also be noted that the Defendants are Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State. More importantly, the 1st Accused Person is the State Chairman of the APC when the offences were committed and he is still the State Chairman till date. “It is worrisome that the Police that released these suspects on bail failed to re-arrest them when the trial of the case was expected to commence.

“It is more worrisome when these suspects are parading themselves on the streets of Ekiti State and addressing open rallies of their party and the Police failed and/or neglected to effect their arrest.

“We are therefore using this golden opportunity to inform your good offices that professionalism is quite different from politicking; hence, the Police is an institution with statutory functions of prevention of crimes, arrest, investigation and prosecution of offenders irrespective of perceived political affiliation and not an arm or extension of a political party and it should be seen as acting as such. The provision of Section 4 of the Police Act is very clear in this respect.

“If the Police that is saddled with this great task is playing with same with the covers of politics, there is no doubt, the populace if in a great danger.

“It is on this note that we are soliciting for your assistance to kindly direct appropriate offices with due professionalism in the areas of arresting and timely prosecution of these criminals. The Accused Persons are available on the streets in Ekiti State and Nigeria in general.”