A High Court in Ijero-Ekiti, has ordered the arrest of Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Jide Awe and three others, namely Faboro John Ojo, Aniramu Basiru and Falayi Busuyi.

The accused persons had been declared wanted for their alleged involvement in the murder of Mr. Ayo Jeje and Mrs. Juliana Adewumi in Erinjiyan-Ekiti, on March 30, 2013.
The APC chairman and five others are facing trial in charge No: HIJ/1c/2015.

Justice E. B. Omotoso of the Ijero-Ekiti High Court, who granted the order on July 25 this year, said that the accused persons must be brought to court by the police on October 5, 2016.

The warrant of arrest, dated July 27, 2016, was issued based on the prayer of counsel to the Ekiti State government, Yakubu Dauda. “Consequently, I hereby invoke the provisions of Section 94 of the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ekiti State by ordering that Bench Warrants be issued against the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants to compel their appearance before this court at the next day of adjournment and subsequently to stand for their trial.

“Consequently, this matter is hereby adjourned till October 5, 2016 for hearing,” the judge ruled.The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi said: “The court order will be served on the police with immediate effect, hoping that it will be complied with strictly.”

Ajayi, in a letter to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) dated July 8, 2016 and copied to the Attorney-General of the Federation, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, had decried the refusal to arrest the accused persons despite several requests.

“The Ekiti State government has requested the Nigeria Police, Ekiti State Command to effect the arrest of these culprits but instead of effecting the arrest, the police have refused and/or neglected to effect the arrest on the ground that such arrest should not be made except with the approval of the Police Force Headquarters, Abuja,” the Attorney-General said.