The Afenifere Renewal Group has condemned
the outcome of police investigation on the
immediate and remote causes of the Ile-Ife
crisis.
It stated that “the whole world can now see the
joke that the Nigeria police in the temple of
justice and fairness”.
The group’s reaction followed that of Former
Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, who also
described the arrest of only Yorubas as
unacceptable.
Afenifere in a statement on Tuesday said it was
shocked that the police report from all
indications appeared one-sided and tending
towards a predetermined outcome.
It reads further: “For instance, the sin of one of
those paraded, Obimakinde Samuel, according to
police information, was that he was ‘found with
a fresh cut on his head suspected to have been
inflicted on him during the crisis’. Mr.
Obimakinde, according to police information, is
obviously a victim.
“In a violent clash that involves deaths, injuries,
and arson on all sides, the Nigeria Police are
saying that Yoruba people are the only culprits,
that Yoruba people attacked their own people,
and burnt the houses of their own people. Who
would believe this?
“We contend that the Ife crisis, no matter how
much the Police tends to make it an ethnic
issue would never stand as one. It disturbingly
raised the question of partisanship and cast a
doubt on the police institution. But the whole
world can now see the joke that the Nigeria
police is in the temple of justice and fairness.
“What is desired is a thorough and trustworthy
investigation but it appears that is impossible to
get from the Nigeria Police that have failed to
produce a single arrest in cases of perpetual
marauders and killers in Southern Kaduna,
Benue and Enugu States but have within a week
found a sudden ‘efficiency’ in the Ile-Ife crisis.
“Where was the police when similar crisis broke
out in Mile 12, Lagos, last year during which
Yoruba people were killed and their properties
razed and when a LASTMA official, Tajudeen
Bakare, was brazenly murdered in the process
of enforcing the Rule of Law?
“Yoruba people are lovers of peace but also
haters of injustice in any appearance or form
and we would not allow our people to be
deliberately made a scapegoat of the inherent
failure of Nigeria’s nationality.
“We therefore call on the Government of the
State of Osun to inaugurate a commission of
enquiry to establish the remote and immediate
causes in a manner that will engender truth and
reconciliation”.
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