Popular Oyo Monarch who is the Oloko of Oko land, Oba Solomon Akonola Oyeyode III, as well as 14 other individuals has been remanded in Abolongo Medium security Prison by an Oyo State High court sitting in Ogbomoso.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria report, the monarch and 14 others were remanded on Wednesday over alleged continuous violent attacks, attempted murder, and land-grabbing.
The 14 defendants remanded alongside Akinola included: Chief Sunday Aderinto, Chief Jimoh Asimiyu, Timothy Aderinto, Matthew Akintaro, Rafiu Ganiu, and Adejare Adeleru.
Others were: Samson Ogunmola, Zachiaus Adeleru, Kamorudeen Ajibade, Raji Rasaq, Mutiu Arowosaye, Oyeyemi Oyelekan, Olusegun Oyelekan and Sheriff Adio.
Justice K.A. Adedokun gave the order when the State Counsel, I. O. Abdulazeez, informed the court that the complainant, Dr. Isaac Abiodun, had been attacked again by the defendants at Aagba village.
Adedokun frowned at the latest violent attack on Abiodun and held that Akinola’s ability to maintain peace was clearly against the warning he had been given when the case first came up on November 16.
Consequently, the judge ordered the remand of the defendants and adjourned the suit till November 27 for a hearing of their bail application.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the judge had on November 16 issued a warning to Akinola to be civil by cautioning his loyalists not to misbehave in any manner in respect of the matter.
The judge had also said that he would have remanded Akinola and other defendants if not for his strong respect for the traditional institution but warned them to deal with them if there was any report of misbehavior from them.
NAN also reports that the defendants are facing a 29-count charge bordering on alleged attempted murder, conspiracy, rough handling, robbery, stealing, damaging of property, forceful entry, and assault.
The state counsel had told the court that the incident occurred on May 7, May 10, May 27, and Sept. 3, all in 2021 at Aagba in Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State.
He said that the indigenes of Aagba, including Abiodun, had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police that the defendants had been doing everything possible to kill him (Abiodun) and convert his land situated at Aagba village to theirs.
He further stated that Abiodun had previously secured a court judgment as the true owner of the land.
The offenses, according to him, contravened Sections 516, 355, 320, 332, 390(3), 7(4), 7(c ), 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. ii 38, Law of Oyo State, 2000.
NAN reports that the defendants had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges, while their counsel, M. O. Folounsho, had also applied for their bail.
Source: NAN
