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Egungun Festival Fracas: 10 suspects arrested, investigation ongoing -PPRO

 

The Kwara State Police command have nabbed 10 suspects in connection with the clash over the celebration of a masquerade festival among some communities in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of the state.

This was revealed to Pilot Crime by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ajayi  Okasanmi during a  telephone interview with our reporter on Friday.

Okasanmi said about 10 suspects have so far been nabbed for their alleged involvement in the fracas.

He added that police   investigation had begun into the matter, assuring that all those found culpable will be arrested.

“The suspects are currently in police custody undergoing interrogation and they will be prosecuted upon conclusion of police investigation,” he explained.

The suspects arrested are Femi Olamide, Oguntoye Bayo, Oladepo Tosi, Olaniyi Jamiu among others

According to report, the incident which is coming less than two years after a similar occurrence reportedly led to sporadic shooting and destruction of properties among Igbede, Kajola, Ikotun and Owa districts in Odo-Owa and caused panic last Sunday in Oke-Ero LG.

It was learnt that the communities have been at loggerheads for years over the timing and propriety of the celebration of the festival and dispute over claims of land ownership.

Meanwhile, the Command deployed apart from the conventional policemen, detachment of Mobile policemen from Offa and Ilorin to restore normalcy.

It was reported that, one of the affected monarchs and the Osolo of Igbede, Oba Johnson Jide Aina said he hope government will look into the matter with a view to bringing the culprits to book.

“This issue has been on now since 2015 and this time around, we have not even fixed the date of our Egungun festival but on the day Odo-Owa festival was supposed to end, their masquerade moved round other communities with impunity despite the fact that we had written to the police DPO and Area Commander to forewarn of consequence from such action.

“Some days later, one Tunde Agoro recruited Pawo Alabi who runs an illegal berr parlour and joined with Ikotun and Odo-Owa people to attack us in Igbede,” the monarch was quoted to have said.

When contacted on Saturday, the Olota of Odo-Owa, Oba Joshua Adeyemi Adimula alleged conspiracy against him over the issue.

“There is too much conspiracy among the Igbede, Kajola, Ikotun and Oke-Ero. They even turned the police against me. The conspiracy is too much for me. What they are all saying is annoying and I want to reserve my comment. All I’m seeing is conspiracy.”

 

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