Why Ekiti State Government Imposed Curfew Over Killing Of Ex-NURTW Boss And Riots That Trailed It Amidst reactions Of APC, PDP ,FAyose

odogwu Media reports that for the immediate impsoition of the curfew yesterday in Ekiti by the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi more lives and property worth millions would have been destoryed by irate youths.

Fayemi has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in the state, in a bid to avert crises following the gruesome murder of the former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW,  Chief Omolafe Aderiye, who was an ardent supporter of the state governor-elect, Mr Ayo Fayose.

Angry reactions trailed the brutal murder of Aderiye, as a large crowd of protesters razed down Governor Fayemi’s private office, the state APC Secretariat, and destroyed properties including vehicles worth millions of Naira.

Aderiye was killed by some unidentified gunmen in his office along Ijigbo Street, Ado Ekiti on Thursday. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  blamed Aderiye’s killing on the out-going APC government in the state, saying it was to precipitate mayhem in the Ekiti.

Armed soldiers and policemen have been however stationed at strategic points in the state even as anti-riot policemen led by the Commissioner patrolled the major streets in the state.

However, this was coming against the backdrop of angry reactions which trailed the attack on   Justice John Adeyeye of Ekiti State Judiciary same Thursday.

The Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, the All Progressives Congress, APC,  Human Rights Agenda Network, HRAN and Access to Justice, AJ, described  the attack on the Judiciary as an affront to the rule of law in the couSntry and called for trial of the culprits.

The NBA in a statement signed by its National President, Mr Augustine Alegeh, SAN,  accused the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies of alleged complicity in the two separate attacks that led to the indefinite closure of the High Court complex in Ado-Ekiti where the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was sitting, just as the HRAN and AJ lamented the action which they described as a ‘’desecration of the temple of justice.’’

The APC called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Ekiti State Governor-elect Ayodele Fayose for allegedly leading a band of thugs to beat up a judge and then instigating his supporters to attack and burn down the opposition secretariat in the state.

In a statement issued in Lagos  yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said since Mr. Fayose does not yet enjoy immunity from arrest and prosecution, he should be arrested over the dastardly and barbaric attack, which represents an attack on justice and the rule of law.

Governor Fayemi of Ekiti State also condemned the two separate attacks of the state High Court on Monday and Thursday by some political thugs in which some judges including Justice Adeyeye were physically assaulted, pointing out that the temple of justice should not be desecrated ’’ and called for the prosecution of the culprits.

“Also, I have taken the decision to institute a dusk to dawn curfew in the state immediately. Accordingly, there would be no movement between the hours of 7 pm. and 7 a.m. everyday till further notice.’’

Condemning the spate of  attacks on judicial officers by the political thugs, Fayemi said he had instructed the  state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Wale Fapohunda to liaise with the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodele Daramola to look for  a way of hearing all the pending political and the governorship election petition cases by the tribunal outside the state

“Most assuredly, the course of justice can only be delayed, but can never be truncated. The independence of the Judiciary is an inviolable tenet of any democracy. Accordingly, I have this morning directed the Attorney General of the state to issue a legal advisory to the Chief Judge of the state and all the parties to the existing cases in the state High Court and the Ekiti State Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal, on the desirability of seeking an alternative venue for the hearing of these cases outside Ekiti State.”

In a statement it issued in Abuja yesterday, the NBA maintained that reports it received from its members at Ado Ekiti, indicated that policemen and other security agents at High Court Complex on the days the ugly incidents took place, looked the other way while the hoodlums had a field day in perpetuating wanton criminal acts of violence and damage to property.

On its part, the Access to Justice also condemned ‘’the outrageous affront on Justice John Adeyeye of Ekiti State Judiciary’’ and called for the prosecution of the culprits

In its statement signed by Chinelo Chinweze, AJ regretted that Justice Aderiye was ‘’physically assaulted’’ and his clothes torn,  leading to his hospitalisaion.

‘’This is coming barely three days after another attack on another court presided over by Justice Isaac Ogunyemi after he delivered a ruling assuming jurisdiction to try a case involving the Governor elect, Ayo Fayose, which angered his supporters…

‘’This attack on Judges and the administration of justice must be repressed and repelled with all the power and authority of the State… We also call on the leadership of the Nigerian Police to secure the lives and integrity of judicial officers, especially when political cases are being adjudicated upon.

The APC further lamented that, each time a judge had been attacked anywhere in the world, the attackers were jailed to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to take the laws into their hands.

‘Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Governor -elect, Mr Ayo Fayose yesterday paid a condolence visit to the family house of the slain former NURTW boss, Chief Aderiye.

In its statement signed by Chinelo Chinweze, AJ regretted that Justice Aderiye was ‘’physically assaulted’’ and his clothes torn  leading to his hospitalisaion.

‘’This is coming barely three days after another attack on another court presided over by Justice Isaac Ogunyemi after he delivered a ruling assuming jurisdiction to try a case involving the Governor elect, Ayo Fayose, which angered his supporters…

‘’This attack on Judges and the administration of justice must be repressed and repelled with all the power and authority of the State… We also call on the leadership of the Nigerian Police to secure the lives and integrity of judicial officers, especially when political cases are being adjudicated upon. A2Justice calls for the immediate prosecution of all those who were involved in this sordid act of assaulting Hon. Justice John Aderiye,’’ the statement added.

The Chairman of the HRAN, Chino Obiagwu in a staement on the attack said, the ‘’HRAN unequivocally condemns the unprecedented attacks by political thugs on the Ekiti State Judiciary. HRAN equally condemns the lukewarm response given to the attacks by the security forces and calls for the immediate arrest and prosecution of all involved.’’

However, the APC further lamented that, each time a judge had been attacked anywhere in the world, the attackers were jailed to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to take the laws into their hands, adding that ‘’The case of the Fayose should not be different.’’

APC said it was particularly necessary to act fast to prevent anarchists and crude individuals from taking the laws into their hands and tampering with the administration of justice, especially because the attack on Justice John Adeyeye came a few days after pro-Fayose and some PDP supporters reportedly invaded a court room in the state state and beat up litigants, among others.

Mohammed’s statement read in part, ‘’the clear message being sent out by the PDP is that it is ready to resort to self help to capture and govern any state, especially in the South-west…

‘’Even though Mr. Fayose has not assumed office, he has succeeded in taking Ekiti State back to Egypt within a few months of his election. Not only are Judges being attacked, the kind of killings and chaos that characterized his first time in charge of the state have already started. He is struggling hard to ensure that Ekiti is no longer in the league of states where disputes are settled in courts, instead of on the streets, and judges preside in the administration of justice.

‘’The disgusting attacks on the administration of justice in Ekiti has shown the truism in the aphorism ‘show me your friends and I will tell you who you are’. Nigerians now know the company the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan keep and what the party and the President truly are…

‘’While Ekiti State Police Commissioner Taiwo Lakanu did well by rushing to the venue to help restore order after the Judge had been beaten up Thursday, the overall role of the police in the two attacks was shameful.’’

Meanwhile,the Ekiti State Governor -elect, Mr Ayo Fayose yesterday paid a condolence visit to the family house of the slain former NURTW boss, Chief Aderiye

Fayose who was accompanied to the Olokemeji residence of Aderiye was received by the deceased wife, Funmilayo and the children,where he condemned the killing of Aderiye by the suspected hired assasins, and prayed for the repose of his soul.

“It is barbaric and happening at this point in time, it is a political killing. And I will rest it with the police to do a proper investigation, the murdered Aderiye was my very strong supporter.

“We were together till about 5pm yesterday, (Thusrday). But taking his life is not an option. It is not the best. This is irreparable and we have come here to condone with the family. If this other party.

The Ado Ekiti Capital City was like a ghost town yesterday afternoon as palpable tension enveloped the town, paralyzing commercial activities, following massive protests against  Aderiye’s murder.

Aderiye, was killed by a four-man gang of suspected assassins. His body, had since been deposited at the morgue of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, just as protesters razed down

Fayemi’s personal office in Ajilosun, the State Secretariat of the APC, as well as APC Secretariat in Ado Ekiti Local Government

Also, the personal house and property of the former Chairman of Road Employer Transport Association of Nigeria, RETAN, Mr Rotimi Olabiwonnu was razed down

Some Youths, who trooped out en masse destroyed some government’s property located along the road, while some vehicles parked from Fajuyi to Ajilosun, ranging over two kilometres were vandalized.

They also made bonfires on the major roads, thereby making the whole day hectic for the police, which patrolled the major roads in Ado Ekiti throughout yesterday. The patrol team was led by the state Police Commissioner, Taiwo Lakanu, visited all the flashpoints to dismantle the barricades mounted by protesters.

As at 12noon, thick smoke from the several bonfires made around town by the protesters still enveloped the city, while soldiers and anti-riot policemen were seen in strategic locations to forestall the resurgence of the violence that seemed to be gradually subsiding .

Meanwhile, the state wing of the PDP has condemned the murder of the former chairman of the NURTW

The PDP state Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole who addressed a press conference in Ado Ekiti yesterday, described the killing as the barbaric and satanic.

Oluwawole said, “We had raised an alarm on the clandestine move by the Fayemi and his men to attack the Governor-Elect, Dr Ayo Fayose and some notable leaders in all the 16 Local Government Areas as from the 22nd of September 2014 while the killing of Aderiye who is one of the notable leader of the party in Ado Ekiti occurred on the 25th same month, this has vindicated our earlier claims.”

Oluwawole who said that the late Omolafe Aderiye was at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti on the June 21 Governorship election in Ekiti State, when he mobilised all driver Union members and other associations in solidarity with the Governor-Elect, Dr Ayo Fayose, saying that as a result of his commitment to the mandate given to the Governor-Elect, he became a prime target of the ruling APC government.

“We don’t have any doubt in our mind if the information at our disposal is anything to go by and the murder incidents that have been linked directly to some APC members in the past

Late yesterday eveining, the state police command asked the people of the state to be calm and go about their duties peacefully

A statement by the command’s  Spokesman, Victor Babayemi, said the police was on top of the security situation in the state,

adding that some arrests have been made. He pledged that the police would do everything possible to get to the the root of the matter

adapted from Vanguard