40 Monarchs Protest Continuing Detention Of Ife Traditional Ruler Oba Ademola Ademiluyi Over Bloody Clash Between Yoruba & Hausa

Traditional rulers from Ile-Ife, on Thursday protested, the continued detention of Oba Ademola Ademiluyi, who was arrested by the police following the bloody clash on March 8.

The Laroka of Wanikin Ife, Oba Kole Ojutalayo, who led other traditional rulers from Ile-Ife to address a press conference in Ile-Ife, said the detention and the parade of Oba Ademiluyi by the police was a desecration of Yoruba customs.

Ojutalayo said Ife monarchs were aware that the police did not treat any emir the way they had treated Oba Ademiluyi, when ethnic clashes occurred in their domains.

The monarch said Ademiluyi had been in police custody for over a month.

He said, “Ife obas, numbering 40, have written a protest letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and the same letter was sent to the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; and the Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, on the continued detention of the arrested monarch.”

The monarchs said they were surprised that the police declared Ademiluyi wanted on March 9 in connection with the clash even when available evidence showed that he (Ademiluyi) was in Lagos when the fight broke out.

Ojutalayo said, “Our investigation revealed that while in the custody of the Nigeria Police, Oba Ademola Adedewe Ademiluyi was stripped of his royal paraphernalia, including the removal of his cap, thereby exposing his bare head which is contrary to the Yoruba custom.

“As if that was not enough, he was paraded at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, like a common criminal alongside other innocent Ile-Ife indigenes that were arrested.

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