Pandemonium broke out in Ayetoro, Ilaje local government area of Ondo State on Thursday night as unknown armed men unleashed terror on the community, injuring more than 30 people.
The bandit, numbering 15 were said to have been mobilized from Lagos State and Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje council of the state.
It was alleged that the suspected bandits stormed the town on the invitation of the embattled king, Micah Ajijo.
According to a source the mayhem allegedly broke out when one Isaac Ikuyelorimi, who lives close to Ajijo’s house, was challenged by a member of the terror gang for playing music in his house.
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“The guys from Lagos and Igbokoda met Isaac to stop the music because he was disturbing them. But Isaac told them that they have no right to stop him because the music was from his house.
“Before we knew it, it turned to heated argument and the other thugs in Ajijo’s house rushed out to attack him and everybody in the neighbourhood, stabbing people with bottles, knives and cutlasses,†he alleged.
The Chairman of Ayetoro Youth Congress, Mr. Iretolu Ajinde, identified one Joseph Oniyesan as the leader of the mercenaries that were invited to the town by the embattled king to foment trouble and disrupt their annual Founder’s Day Anniversary slated for Sunday January, 14, 2018.
He narrated that when the mobile police force that were stationed there to maintain peace were making efforts to restore peace, one of the thugs snatched a police officer’s gun and shot at the people.
“It was after the situation had gone out of hand that we called the police station in Igbokoda and Naval base for help. Then, the armed mercenaries had run into Ajijo’s house for safety,†he added.
The mayhem, it was learnt, was sequel to the prolonged kingship tussle in the theocratic community since 2015 when Ajijo allegedly imposed himself as the Ogeleyinbo immediately after the demise of the last king, Gad Asogbon.
There had been a lot of protests against his ascension to the throne, leading to the closure of the only church in the community, the Holy Apostles Church since 2016.
Iretolu noted that the security teams from Igbokoda restored peace to the community and arrested the mercenaries alongside Ajijo to Osogbo, while those who were seriously wounded were currently receiving treatment in the area.
But one of the embattled king’s kinsmen, Moboluwaji Ajijo, said it was the community that attacked his brother and supporters during morning devotion in his house.
He accused Prophet Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi, the Alakoso and grandson of the founder of the community, late King Peter Ojagbohunmi, as the person who incited the people against Ajijo, who was a former ambassador of Africa Development Bank (ADB).
“Prophet Oluwambe who styled himself the Alakoso of Ayetoro led his supporters who came in drove with dangerous weapons through the land and sea and attacked the palace with several worshippers, wounding scores and property worth millions of naira destroyed.
“The incident happened less than three days Kabiyesi came back from overseas trip in preparation for the town’s annual Founders’ Day Anniversary which usually takes place in January every year. The whereabouts of the king is unknown as of the time of this broadcast,â€â€Ž he alleged.
He noted that Oluwambe and his band of prophets thwarted all efforts by the state government to restore peace in the community, revealing that the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi had waded into the crisis.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident, disclosing that the police arrested the thugs who fomented the attacks ahead of the anniversary.
“Some miscreants went there and attacked the people. As I speak with you, they are in court, we made some arrest, more than twenty of them,†he said.
www.sojworld.com © January 13, 2018
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