Oyo won’t tolerate miscarriage of justice, says Makinde on arrest of Fulani leader

Seyi Makinde, Oyo governor, says the state will do everything within the law to prevent a miscarriage of justice.

The governor’s comment is coming 24 hours after members of the Oodua Peoples Congress arrested Iskilu Wakilu, Fulani leader in Ibarapa LGA.

Wakilu, who was linked to the insecurity in the Ibarapa area of Oyo, was arrested in Kajola by a combined team of security agencies and members of the OPC. He was subsequently handed over to the police.

A member of the team had told TheCable that Wakilu claimed to be sick and had just returned from Cotonou.

Wakilu had earlier challenged Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to a duel after the latter issued an eviction notice to herders in the area, blaming them for insecurity in Oyo.

In a statement signed by Taiwo Adisa, the governor’s chief press secretary, Makinde said the police has assured him that an investigation will be carried out into the security situation in Ibarapa.

“Let me also talk about the issue of security, which is also germane. I am aware of what is going on at Kajola in Ibarapa north local government area of Oyo state,” the governor said.

“I will like to use this opportunity to tell our people that the government is doing everything within its power to ensure that there is no miscarriage of justice. Anyone that is found wanting or has broken the law, irrespective of their ethnic background or religion, would be dealt with in accordance with the law of the land.

“People should not go into overdrive. I have asked the commissioner of police to see me today and I have been given the assurance that they will do a thorough investigation into the security situation in the area.

“I also want to appeal to our people to be calm and refrain from ethnic profiling. Let us have trust in the ability and capacity of the people saddled with the responsibility of maintaining law and order within our state. It is the government that we have put in place and it will continue to work in the interest of the people of the state.”