From Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti

The Attah of Ayede-Ekiti, Oba Abdumumini Orisagbemi, has raised the alarm over an alleged threat to his life arising from the bloody land dispute between Itaji-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area (LGA) of Ekiti State and his community. 

The alarm followed the killing of one Seyi Oladipupo who was allegedly shot by an unidentified person from Orisumbare, a settlement that links Ayede and Itaji on January 31. The death of Oladipupo subsequently led to a protest by angry Ayede youths who accused the Onitaji of Itaji, and former chairman, Ekiti Council of Obas, Oba Adamo Babalola, of being the brain behind the killing of the young man. The suspected monarch has, however, denied the allegation.

A few days after the sad incident, another man believed to be a farmer was also beheaded on his farm by some unknown attackers who made away with his severed parts. On February 10, a similar tragedy equally struck in Omu-Ekiti when another victim identified as Dele Ahmed had his head chopped off and carried away by his assailants.    

Following the tragic incidents, the Onitaji monarch accused the people of Ayede of being responsible for the killing of the farmer at Orisumbare as a reprisal attack and therefore called on security agents to intervene in the matter. In response to the call, the police took a swoop on Ayede community and clamped many of the residents into detention.

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In a twist of the matter, the Attah of Ayede counter accused the indigenes of Itaji Ekiti of allegedly instigating the police to carry out mass arrest of his subjects, while also threatening to frame him up in the murder cases.

While lamenting the death of the three victims, Oba Orisagbemi appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to urgently wade into the crisis to avoid a full blown communal war.

Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the monarch also called on Governor Ayodele Fayose to constitute a commission of enquiry to ascertain the actual owner of the contentious land in Egan to avert further bloodshed.

His words: “It marvels me that the police could be arresting my subjects over the death of a farmer at Orisunmibare even when they knew the person that actually shot Popoola in their presence.

The monarch noted that the two communities had co-existed peacefully for several years, saying the crisis was already straining the age long relationship.