The Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, has convened an emergency security council meeting over Monday invasion of the place of Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji by some gunmen.
At the meeting on Tuesday were service commanders from the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Customs Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Air Force, among others.
The governor has also summoned a meeting of the traditional council of the eleven local governments in Ibadanland, which are being headed by the Obas-in-Council, formerly known as members of the Olubadan-in-Council, for Wednesday.
Addressing journalists at the end of the security council meeting, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Mr. Segun Abolarinwa, accused “failed politicians” as the suspected masterminds of the recent disturbances emanating from the installation of some Obas.
Abolarinwa was with the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Toye Arulogun; Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka, and other media aides of the governor.
Although, he said that the security agents had not come to any conclusion over the matter, Abolarinwa said that preliminary reports available to the government suggested that political opponents bent on disrupting the peace of the land were behind Monday’s incident.
Abolarinwa said, “The suspected hoodlums must have acted on the instructions of some failed politicians who are trying to exploit the traditional institution to stage a comeback and return Oyo State to the inglorious days of violence, brigandage, thuggery, killings and arson.
“We shall not allow anyone or group, irrespective of status, religious or political leaning, to take us back to the dark days when Ibadan earned the unenviable tag of a garrison command through the unscrupulous activities of some incorrigible elements.
“The governor had warned during the installation ceremony of our Obas on August 27 that the Olubadan palace and our revered traditional institution risk being used as staging post for the nefarious activities of failed politicians.
“My appeal to Baba, the Kabiyesi, is to be wary of the antics of those who may wish to exploit his warmness and accommodating posturing to foment trouble. The government wishes to reiterate that it will not renege on its commitment to the security of lives and property.”
The governor’s aide warned that the full weight of the law would be visited on whoever attempted to undermine the peace of the state, which, he said, had remained the credential of the administration in the last six years.
