A group, Kwara Progressives Group, KPG, has called for a formal inquest into the deaths of ostensible followers of the Saraki political clan both at the demolished Ile-Arugbo and Mandate House in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

While the state government is in dispute with the Sarakis over the ownership of Plot 1, 3 and 5 Ilofa Road, Ilorin GRA, adjacent the state Civil Service Clinic where the popular political family built a bungalow called Ile-Arugba in which their supporters assembled, that of Mandate House at Oluronsogo in Ilorin West, which is used for similar political purpose was not in contention.

At different times in the past, there were stampedes at both places during political gatherings culminating in the deaths of scores of their supporters.

READ ALSO: Ile – Arugbo: Bukola Saraki needs to apologise to Kwarans for his misdeeds – Awoyale

Amid the controversy surrounding the demolition of Ile-Arugbo by the state government on the grounds that it is the rightful owner and had planned to build a full-fledged Civil Service Clinic before the Sarakis’ alleged encroachment, the Kwara Progressives Group has enjoined the government to set up a judicial inquiry to conduct a full-scale investigation into the numerous deaths that occurred at the defunct place and Mandate House.

In a statement released by the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr Rotimi Sulyman, it expressed pleasure at the recovery of the Ilofa properties and urged the government to take into account the multiple deaths that occurred at both Ile-Arugbo and Mandate House between October 2013, May 27, 2011 and November 2010, during political gatherings by launching an inquest into the sad incidents with a view to avert reccurrence in any part of the state.

The statement read in part: “We enjoin the government to go the whole hog by instituting a judicial panel to unravel the proximate and remote causes of lives that were lost at the so-called Ile-Arugbo before its demolition and Mandate House. These are criminal cases by all standards, so it is not barred under statute and it is not time bound, so it can be revisited.

“It is on record that not few of the Sarakis’ followers died at both locations between October 2013, May 27, 2011 and November 2010, which all made the headlines. The governor would do himself a great disservice if he fails to put all the issues in perspective and heed to our call. We call on him to set up an inquest to look thoroughly at whether the Sarakis were culpable in all the deaths, or could have prevented it, so as to avoid reccurrence in other parts of the state.”

Vanguard News Nigeria