Author: Taiwo Ismael

The governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu has reacted to a statement credited to the Spokesman of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Garba Sheu where he was quoted to have said that FG would not allow Amotekun to operate in isolation from the existing internal security guidelines and structures of the Federal Government as part of powers vested on the Inspector General of Police.

Akeredolu while speaking to the PRESS today, said FG cannot dictate to the people of South West on how they would maintain their internal security affairs particularly when conventional policing has failed. Akeredolu in his statement further expressed shock on a statement made by Garba Sheu while answering questions on Channels TV Daily Sunrise Programme, saying such statement does not represent the position of South West and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We will not collapse Amotekun for community policing. It will stand on its own, we are not people that can be intimidated that IG will give orders to. Amotekun is different and community policing is different, said Akeredolu.”

The High Court sitting in Iseyin, Iseyin Local Government, Oyo State Judicial Division has delivered a landmark judgement in a case filed by the Oladunni Royal house of Alado of Ado-Awaye Chieftaincy against His Royal Majesty, Oba Revd. Ademola Olugbile Folakanmi, Makuledoye 11, Iludero1, the Alado of Ado-Awaye Kingdom over the righful ownership of the ancient palace located at the market square, Ado-Awaye.

Delivering his judgement on the purported suit NO.HYS/MISC9/2018 filed by (1). Mathew Oyedele (2). Gbadegedin Olakisokun (3). Mufutau Olaoye, for themselves and on behalf of the Oladunni Royal House of Alado of Ado-Awaye Chieftaincy against, (1). The Commissioner of Police, (2). D P O, Iseyin Local Government, (3). His Royal Majesty, Oba Revd. Ademola Olugbile Folakanmi (the incubent Alado of Ado-Awaye Kingdom), the presiding Judge said “the pettioners have failed to provide enough evidences to proof their case as contained in the petition as a result of which the case is hereby dismissed”.

It would be recalled that the petitioners and their cronies had at a particular time in 2018, prevented His Royal Majesty to take over the ancient palace having lost out in the battle to the throne of Alado of Ado-Awaye, after which they proceeded to the Court of law, praying Court to restrain Alado with all his paraphernalia from taking over the palace as demanded by the existing culture and tradition of the land.

In a related development, the Suite NO.OY/CC6A/ISE/C3/702, filed by one Mr. Salami Adebayo Ganiyu, a retired Police Officer, for himself and on behalf of Aro Salami Ajiyo lineage of Aro chieftaincy, Ado-Awaye, against His Royal Majesty Oba Revd. Ademola Olugbile Folakanmi (the incubent Alado of Ado-Awaye land) and, Madam Mary Adewole, (Kabiyesi’s Pastor), claiming the ownership of a parcel of land belonging to Maku Ruling House family land situate, lying and being at Esin_Ado,Oke-Odo, Ado-Awaye, has equally been dismissed in favour of His Royal Majesty, Oba Revd Ademola Olugbile
Folakanmi Makuledoye 11, Iludero1, the Alado of Ado-Awaye land.

In his reaction after the judgements, Oba Folakanmi commended the judiciary for the judgements, saying, “the judiciary has proven beyond reasonable doubt that it is the last hope of the people, and the best avenue to get justice”. He further advised every individual not to always take violence as an alternative to resolving issues but rather take the paths of the law.

His Royal Majesty thanked God for giving him victory on the matters and submitted by raising hope in winning the rest of the Court cases pending at Court against him.

The Amotekun Corps launched by the South-West states, through the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission has come with a new dimension of disagreement between the South West States and Federal Government as Buhari through his Spokesman, Garba Sheu just revealed while answering to questions on Daily Sunrise Channels TV programme that the Federal Government will not allow the operations of Amotekun to be solely controlled by the South-West States without proper guidelines from the Inspector General of Police before the security initiative finally kick-started for operations.

Garba Sheu while speaking said, Amotekun, will now be run in accordance with the structure defined by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, further said that the structure of the security network would be as prescribed by the IG.

“Whatever name they go by, Amotekun or whatever, will be streamlined and they will be run in accordance with the structure as defined by the Inspector-General of Police. They will be localised; they will be owned by the local communities. They will be managed by them,” he said.

The President’s spokesman further stated that the community policing structure would be the same across the 36 states and whatever would not conform with the national structure would not be “in the scheme of things.”

Shehu added, “You know the constitution of the committees will be defined as including council chairmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups and all of that.

“So, you are going to have a single type structure of community policing permitted all across the country and whatever is not in line with this does not have a place in the scheme of things. That is my understanding.”

The Nigeria Union of Journalists has condemned Fani-Kayode over hos recent outburst against a journalist at the PRESS Conference held in Calabar.

In a statement signed today by the President of the organization, Chris Isiguzo, the NUJ condemns the gangster-like outburst by Chief Femi Fani Kayode against the Cross River State Correspondent of the Daily Trust Newspaper, Eyo Charles who asked him a simple question which he felt was embarrassing.
In his reaction, Kayode assaulted the journalist and threatened him for daring to ask such a question.
By denigrating the journalist, Fani Kayode has exposed himself the more as an intolerant and unstable person who will not want his activities closely scrutinised by the Media.
It is instructive to remind the likes of Fani Kayode that it is the Constitutional right of Journalists to monitor and keep a check on people and institutions in power.
By delving into politics and holding political office, Fani Kayode is very conversant
with the watchdog role of the media.
For him to have embarked on assessment of projects in some states, even though we are yet to be told under what platform, he is doing so, it is proper for the media to hold him to account for his actions and decisions.
His reaction was totally unacceptable, dishonourable and reprehensible and we demand for retraction of his untoward, irritating and awkward utterances which negate simple decorum and civility.
We are more shocked that the same Kayode who had in recent times, used his social media handles to call leaders to account is at the same time attacking a Journalist for a simple demand for him to unmask those behind his nationwide tour. He had already visited six states. This is indeed, terribly disappointing.

Fani-Kayode who engaged in verbal assualts against a Journalist at the PRESS conference has said he owes nobody any apology on his recent action against the journalist. Fani-Kayode was quaoted as saying thus:

“Permit me to add the following to my earlier statement. I have taken note of the report by Daily Trust on the incident. The content is false. I didn’t send any of my security men to threaten their repoter.

I only reprimanded him for a premeditated plan to embarrass me and he apologised thereafter. That was all.

This is not a battle between me and the esteemed Nigerian journalists who respect the ethics of the noble profession.

I have always been and will always be a friend to journalists and a champion of freedom of speech. What I will not accept are brazen insults from an individual in the name of journalism.

The assertion or assumption that I am being bankrolled by anyone is deeply insulting.

Finally to the NUJ I say you have got me completely wrong. It would have been better if you had heard my own side of the story and established who was behind this whole incident and attempt to embarrass me, who paid for it and how much they paid before going to press. Nevertheless I still hold you in high esteem”.

The Are Onakankanfo-in-Council held its meeting today and from the communiqué made available to the PRESS stated the suspected terrorists have infiltrated Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.

Are Onakakanfo-in-Council in a communique issued after an extraordinary meeting presided over by the Ààrẹ Ọ̀nà Kakaǹfò of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, on the state of the Yoruba nation and sundry matters affecting the Nigerian state on Sunday, August 23, according to a BBC Yoruba News.

The Ààrẹ Ona Kakanfo-in-Council has in its possession credible intelligence, gathered from within and outside the country, which strongly indicates the infiltration of terrorists and killer Fulani herdsmen in the region. The statement further reads:

“More worrisome, the intelligence report also reveals that suspected ISIS operatives have already positioned themselves in Niger State via Ìbàrùbáland and are now within the Òkè-ògùn corridor of Ọ̀yọ́ State”Indeed, the intel also reveal that about 500 power bikes and assorted armour belonging to the terrorists have been physically sighted along the abandoned Lusada route moving towards Sokoto, from Igbó-ọrà in Ọ̀yọ́ State,” the communique read in part.

The council also enjoined all Southwest governors, as well as the Governors of Kwara and Kogi States, to emulate the Governor of Benue State, Mr Samuel Ortom, by directing their citizens to apply for gun licence for self-defence against the marauding terrorists and killer herdsmen.

Similarly, the council urged the federal government to take urgent steps to tighten Nigeria’s borders, especially the lengthy and porous borders with northern West African neighbours, with a view to stopping the illegal entry of killer herdsmen and other criminals into the country.