The Ekiti State Police Command has
arrested 19 persons for the murder of a
former chairman of the National Union
of Road Transport Workers in Ekiti State,
Omolafe Aderiye.
The 19 persons, including one female,
were arrested in an operation over the
weekend, the police said.
The Ekiti Police Public Relations Officer,
Mr. Victor Babayemi, who confirmed the
arrest to journalists in Ado-Ekiti on
Monday, however, did not reveal the
identity of the arrested suspects.
He said the suspects remained innocent
until investigation proved otherwise.
“The 19 are being questioned in respect
of the killing. This is to determine their
level of culpability; it is not that they
have been indicted. They are helping us
in the investigation,” Babayemi said.
Aderiye, a staunch supporter of the
Governor-elect, Mr. Ayo Fayose, was
killed on Thursday in Ijigbo area of Ado-
Ekiti, the state capital.
His death sparked violence across the
state on Friday leading to the burning of
the house and cars of a former state
chairman of the Road Transport
Employees Association of Nigeria, Rotimi
Olabiwoninu.
On Sunday, there was a threat of reprisal
by RTEAN members in the state.
Meanwhile, the police on Monday held a
peace-deal meeting with leading
traditional rulers in Ekiti State.
They also held a separate meeting with
leaders of the RTEAN, NURTW, market
men and women, religious leaders, okada
riders and other interest groups.
Babayemi, who confirmed the meetings,
said the essence was to find a lasting
solution to the recurring violence in the
state.
Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo
Lakanu, appealed to the traditional
rulers, led by their chairman, the Onitaji
of Itaji, Obama Adamo Babalola, to
appeal to their subjects to give peace a
chance.
He reminded the traditional rulers’
council that Ekiti was greater than
anybody.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police
in charge of Zone 8, Christopher Dega,
assured that the police would be unbiased
to all parties.
He expressed concerns over the recurring
violence, which, according to him, is
destroying the image of the state.
Other traditional rulers at the meeting
were the Ajero of Ijero, Adebayo
Adewole; Oose of Efan-Ekiti, James
Popoola; Owaoye of Okemesi, M.G.
Adedeji; Alara of Aramoko, Olu Adegoke
Adeyemi; Olooye of Oye Kingdom,
Oluwole Ademolaju; and Onisan of Isan,
Sunday Ajiboye.
A source at the meeting said the
traditional rulers agreed to work with the
police to achieve peace in the state.
The council also asked that the mandate
of the people should be respected and not
be subverted by manipulation, the source
added.
The source also said the traditional rulers
appealed to aggrieved parties in court to
follow the natural cause of justice without
any rancour. They asked that parties at
the tribunal should conduct themselves in
a manner that will not create an
impression that they want to subvert the
will of the people by manipulating the
judiciary and cause crisis in the state. 247nigerianewsupdate.co/police-arrest-19-in-ekiti-for-nurtw-ex-boss-murder/

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There was a country!!!

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