BY GBENGA ARIYIBI
ADO-EKITI —The people of Ilomu quarters in Esure-Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State have sent a Save-Our-Souls (SOS) message to the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, over unprovoked attacks by their neighbours in Esure and Iyinsin quarters.

In their petition to the governor, also copied the State Director, Department of State Service, DSS, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command and the Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers written by their counsel, Williams Adebayo, and dated December 3, 2013, the people accused the Elesure, Oba Adebanji Ajibola of spearheading unprovoked attacks against them.

Among those reportedly injured by armed Esure and Iyinsin youths in the afternoon of December 1, 2013 when the attack took place were a 92-year-old man, Solomon Akinwumi and three others.

The said youths stormed Ilomu quarters following the death of the Ayinsin, Ojo Ajayi, the head of Iyinsin quarters, following a brief illness.

He died at the Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti.

The youths cut down two traditional trees near the palace of the Olomu, High Chief Patrick Adepoju Iluku, vandalised two cars and seven houses, as they threw missiles and stones and shot sporadically into the air.

The nonagenarian, who had his skull broken by missile-throwing youths, also had his bungalow vandalised.

Commenting on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, Victor Babayemi (ASP), said the police had stepped into the matter and denied any involvement of the police in the matter.

He said the police authorities called the warring parties to a meeting following allegation by some people that the Ayinsin died as a result of supernatural attacks by some people from the opposing side.

“We have called them to a round table discussion and agreed that an autopsy be conducted by medical experts on the corpse of the Ayinsin to determine the cause of death. We took the step to avoid any further degeneration of the situation. We are on top of the situation and calm has returned to the communities,” the PPRO said.

It was learnt that tension in the three communities has risen since it was recommended by the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers that the communities, which currently bear the name Esure-Ekiti, should adopt a more neutral name and that the Olomu should be the second in command in the traditional hierarchy of the town.

A community leader in Ilomu, Ojo John Ilesanmi, said the communities voluntarily decided to come together in 1957 to form a union and that Ilomu gave land to the other two communities to settle in.

“We have written a number of petitions to the state government and the Council of Obas on the matter. The council recommended the adoption of a more neutral name for the united community as well as making the Olomu the second in command. These were rejected by the other two communities because they are brothers.

“This is not the first time some communities would come together and form a united front in this state. What is presently called Ilupeju-Ekiti is a union of some communities. We were taken by surprise that when the Ayinsin died, the youths and their sponsors left their own quarters and came with policemen to cut down traditional trees in front of the palace of our chief. 11 expended tear gas canisters and one bullet were recovered in our community,” he said.

Listing their demands from the state government, the Olomu called for adequate protection to forestall a total breakdown of law and order.