Ex-soldiers attacked, brutalised us –Ekiti monarch’s wife

Wife of the Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti in Ekiti State, Mrs. Tolu Oniyelu, has accused one of the claimants to the title of Olugbosu of leading ex-soldiers to the palace where they allegedly brutalised her and other residents before vandalising the palace.

The monarch’s wife said this while speaking with our correspondent in Ado Ekiti on the telephone on Saturday.

Oniyelu said she had been treated and she was now okay.

Violence erupted in Ilupeju Ekiti on Friday over the chieftaincy title of Olugbosu which is said to be the third in rank to the Kabiyesi. Five persons were shot, while some houses were said to have been torched and the palace destroyed by hoodlums.

Oniyelu said it was not true that her husband, the monarch, imposed Mr. Israel Ojo on the town. She explained that the Traditional Council set up a committee which asked the next ruling house to produce a candidate to be installed as the new Olugbosu.

She added that Ojo was confirmed as the rightful candidate by the panel and the traditional rites had been performed on him.

The monarch’s wife, however, said trouble started on Friday as a chief in the town installed another Olugbosu at 3am.

She added that the “illegal Olugbosu,” after his installation mobilised some ex-soldiers, armed them with guns and danced round the town with the ex-soldiers following him.

Oniyelu said the man later danced to the palace with his followers and met the monarch and chiefs holding a meeting.

According to her, The man asked the king to “bless him, which is a great insult. The monarch refused and the ex-soldiers, who followed him to the palace, started shooting into the air” and destroyed parts of the palace.

She said, “One of them held me and hit my nose with the butt of his gun and I started bleeding. They destroyed window panes and other things. Later the police came. Kabiyesi did not cause the crisis and he didn’t impose anybody on the town. The traditional council confirmed the candidate and he was installed.”

Although the other Olugbosu could not be reached for his comment, some residents, who were loyal to him insisted that he did not go about with thugs as claimed.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Victor Babayemi, said although normalcy had been restored to the town, policemen were still there to ensure that there was no trouble again.