Odo-Owa/Iloffa crisis: Oloota, Odofin, others granted bail
By Kayode Adeoti
The Oloota of Odo-Owa, Oba Joshua Adeyemi Adimula, Odofin of Iloffa, Moses Sunday Oni and 8 others were arraigned on Monday before the magistrate court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State for allegedly fuelling the communal crisis that erupted recently in Oke-Ero local government.
It was gathered that the clash was ignited as a result of supremacy tussle between Odo-Owa and Iloffa monarchs. The clash emanated over who was to launch the new yam between the two warring communities.
Others who were arraigned alongside the duo were Sumonu Amusa, Samuel Babatunde, Ashaolu Sheun, Owolabi Dare, Lasunkanmi Akinola, Oladipo Adebayo, Aderemi Adeniyi and Aboyeji Olasupo all male from the two warring communities.
They were dragged before magistrate Muhammed Ibrahim on criminal conspiracy, rioting, armed with deadly weapons, culpable homicide, mischief by fire, voluntarily causing grievous hurt and inciting disturbance contrary to sections 97, 107, 221, 337, 243, and 114 of penal code.
The First Information Report (FIR) obtained from the court by this medium stated that on June 29, the Oloota led group of people into the said market to disrupt the process of launching the new yam organised by Iya Loja (market leader) from Iloffa on the instruction of Aloffa, Oba Samuel O. Dada.
“The crisis resulted into mayhem between the two communities AND claimed two lives, about 26 houses and 4 vehicles were burnt while several people sustained various degree of injuries.
“During the cause of police investigation, over 300 expended live cartridges of ammunition used by the rioters to perpetrate the crime were recovered from various locations within the communities,” FIR further disclosed.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecutor, inspector Isaa Yakub prayed the court for adjournment pending the time police investigation is completed on the matter.
He urged the court to remand the accused persons on the basis that the offence they allegedly committed are not ordinarily bailable.
He said, “The section of law which the accused were dragged to court does not give room for bail, and police investigation to apprehend their partners in crime who are still at large is ongoing. Granting them bail will jeopardise police investigation.
Yakub maintained further that the accused can’t be released because only Oloota has traceable address.
But, counsel for Oloota, Barr. Raphael Sunday Ashaolu urged the court to discountenance submission of the prosecutor.
According to him, Oloota is not guilty of the offence he allegedly committed until proven by court, adding that he should still enjoy his fundamental human right.
Ashaolu noted further that if court grants bail to his client, he will not perverse justice and will adhere strictly to conditions attached to the bail.
“He’s a man of worthy character, he drove here from his palace upon the invitation of the court, he also has traceable address, so he won’t jump bail,” he said.
Barr. Oludare Akanbi who was standing for the 2nd and 3rd accused persons and Barr. Wahab Ismail who represented 5th, 6th,7th, 8th and 10th accused persons corroborated Oloota’s counsel’s submission and further urged the court against admitting the prosecutor’s prayer.
The court however ceded to the accused persons’ counsels by granting them bail with one surety each, N200m in the like sum and with the provision of affidavit of means while the case was adjourned to 27 July, 2017.