Alaafin Of Oyo Wants Court To Stop Police From Investigating His Alleged Criminal Activities, Human Rights Violation

The Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi, has approached the
Federal High Court, Ibadan, requesting a leave to appeal a judgment of the
court. An earlier ruling by the court compelled the Inspector General of
Police, IGP, to investigate alleged criminal activities of the monarch.

On December 15, the police chief, in a motion of mandamus
filed by Jacob Oluokun and Sulaiman Ajiboye, was compelled by the court in suit
No FHC/IB/CS/54/2014 to investigate the allegations of murder, gun running,
bomb planting and human right abuses against the monarch, as contained in a
petition to the office of the police boss, dated March 18, 2014.

The petition titled: “Unprecedented criminality, flagrant
human rights violations, bomb planting, gun running and unresolved
assassinations in Oyo town, Oyo state” was delivered to the IGP’s office on
April 17, 2014, but dated March 18, 2014, according a reliable source close to
the plaintiffs.

While granting the prayers of the petitioners, the Judge,
Ayo Immanuel, described it as the statutory duties of the Police

But since the ruling was delivered, the police has not
complied. The monarch has now approached the court through his counsel, Adebayo
Adegbite, to seek the leave of the court to appeal the judgment.

The motion for the leave is supported by a seven-paragraph
affidavit deposed to by one Damilola Olugbemi, from the Adebayo Adegbite
Chambers.

Although he was not a party to the original suit, he argues
he is an ‘interested party’ in the case.

The counsel, Mr. Adegbite, in his Motion on Notice, said by
virtues of Section 243 of the 1999 constitution, his client could appeal the
ruling.

Although the Police Public Relations Officer at the Force
Headquarters, Abuja, Immanuel Chuckwu, said he was not aware of the order of
mandamus compelling the IGP to probe the monarch, he said the police would obey
court orders.

Sources in Oyo Town Premium Times that the monarch pledged
to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in order to stave off the
investigation. Mr. Jonathan was in town on Saturday where Mr. Adeyemi promised
to support the president.

Before Mr. Jonathan’s visit, the monarch toured the town
canvassing people to “come and welcome and honour the President the following
day without wearing any vest or wrist band of APC,” Adisa Abiola, a resident at
Akesan area, told Premium Times.

In reaction to the monarch’s suit, his Chief Press
Secretary, Fehintola Azeez, said that “It was only the publication of the
ruling we heard; we have not seen any action since.”

When he was informed that Mr. Adeyemi had sought leave to
restrain police boss from executing the ruling, he said, “there are deeper
issues, which… It’s only Alaafin, himself, that can comment on the matter.”

Efforts to speak with the Alaafin proved abortive as his
line was not going through.

Culled from Premium Times