Police begin investigation into the murder of former Ekiti State NURTW chairman

Police in Ekiti State have launched investigation into the murder of a former Ekiti State Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers, Omolafe Aderiye.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Victor Babayemi, also announced the arrest of a number of suspects over the violence that erupted in the state on Friday.

Aderiye was a staunch loyalist of the Governor-elect, Mr. Ayo Fayose.

Fayose, who visited the widow of the decease, Funmilayo, described his murder as “barbaric” and “a political killing.”

“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 are sure they are not the one responsible for the killing, they should be courageous enough to come and pay a condolence visit to his family.”

There was massive deployment of security agencies in the state capital, Ado-Ekiti.

The office of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, the All Progressives Congress Ado Local Government’s office and three campaign buses at the APC state secretariat in Ajilosun were burnt by hoodlums who also made bumfire.

Several properties including the house and vehicles of a former chairman of Ekiti State Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Rotimi Olabiwoninu, and keke NAPEP given out under poverty eradication programme of the state government were also burnt.

Olabiwoninu is a staunch loyalist of Governor Kayode Fayemi.

In a statement entitled “Murder of Chief Aderiye Omolafe and the attendant civil unrest” made available to journalists, Babayemi lamented that, “In the last 24 hours, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, has witnessed series of unpleasant events.”

He recalled that the police in the early hours of Thursday reacted to the rowdy situation by some group of people around the high court premises in Ado-Ekiti by dispersing them and escorting the judges and lawyers out of the court premises to their various abode.

Babayemi said, “Regrettably, while the police was reviewing its strategies at putting an end to rowdiness in and around the court premises in the state capital, the news of the shooting incident came in.

“And, in response, the Commissioner of Police led a section of Mobile and conventional Policemen out all night and was able to forestall the breakdown of law and order generated by the killing.

“However, in the morning hoodlums started coming out in droves, taking to the streets of Ado-Ekiti and causing carnage by setting fire on some buildings, vehicles and property.

“The Commissioner of Police again reacted by leading the DPOs and other officers on patrol to curtail the situation. With this prompt and decisive response, the situation in Ado-Ekiti metropolis was brought under effective control.

“This also paved way for other agencies like Fire and Ambulance Services to respond to the emergency situation.”

The police enjoined the people to comply with the dusk to dawn curfew order declared by the Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
Babayemi warned that anyone found flouting the order or breaking the law will be adequately dealt with in accordance with the law.