Ogun: Yewa High Chief In Police Net Over Alleged Murder
By Our Correspondent
A Yewa High Chief, and an indigene of Agosasa in the Ipokia LG area of Ogun State, Akeem Adigun, popularly known as Sokopao has been invited for interrogation over the alleged murder of a middle-aged man, Nofiu Amosun, an errand boy to the Oba elect in Agosasa.
Following the petition written to the office of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun by some aggrieved indigenes of Agosasa in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State and subsequent ongoing investigation by the Police over the alleged killing of Nofiu Amosun, an indigene of the town during a kingship tussle that resulted into a fracas inside the town on 12th of September, 2022, Chief Akeem Adigun a.k.a Socopao on Wednesday 6th of September, 2023 appeared at the Ogun state Police Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, where he was quizzed by men of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID(Zone D).
It was gathered that, on arrival at the State Police Headquarters Eleweran, Akeem Adigun was made to write a statement and ordered to reappear at the Police Headquarters on Friday along with his Police Orderly, who was alleged to have shot Nofiu Amosun in the presence of the suspect in the course of the fracas.
It will be recalled that kingmakers of Oja Agosasa have asked the former Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba to order the Ogun State Police Command to arrest the killers of three indigenes who were killed and assassinated on September 12, 2022, during the protest that accompanied the gruesome murder of the personal assistant to an Oba-elect of Agosasa.
The Agosasa kingmakers led by Chief Awode Akanni Oladosu, Aro and the head of kingmakers to the stool of Oja of Agosasa addressed journalists in a press conference on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at Agosasa that the Ogun State Police Command has failed to arrest, investigate and prosecute the killers of three young people who were gruesomely murdered by known assailants on Monday, September 12, 2022, at Agosasa, Ipokia Local Government area, Ogun State.
Chief Awode Oladosu, also, tasked the Nigerian Army Chief of Staff, Lt. General Faruk Yahaya to order the Brigade Commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, Ogun State and Commanding Officer to identify, arrest and prosecute the soldiers involved in the killing and torture of the people of Agosasa on the night of September 12, 2022.
The head of the Agosasa kingmakers, Chief Awode Oladosu has alleged that Otunba Akeem Adigun (a.k.a. Socopao) in the morning of September 12, 2022, had ordered his police orderly to shoot one Nofiu Amosun, the personal assistant to the Oba-elect of Agosasa while the latter was coming from Ipokia on an errand.
“On September 11, 2022, Chief Fatai Ajibola, Oga Ilu Agosasa, received a phone call from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs inviting all the Kingmakers to his office at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta at 10 ‘O clock in the morning without giving him any clue. In quote: We set out about 7:00 am on 12th September 2022 to honour the invitation from the PS, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
“We were already in Abeokuta when a phone call came in from Agosasa, informing us that Otunba Akeem Adigun and his police orderly had shot Nofiu Amosun. We instructed the caller to take him to the nearest hospital to save his life. However, by the time the first victim of Otunba Adigun was taken to the Hospital the doctor who attended to him confirmed him dead.
“According to the eyewitness accounts, Otunba Adigun ordered his convoy to pursue the Okada on which the late Nofiu Amosun was riding. In the process, both the late Nofiu Amosun and the rider tripped and fell. Before Nofiu could rise to run for his dear life Otunba Akeem Adigun’s police orderly, Inspector Ogundiran Ola had alighted and shot Nofiu. Otunba Adigun, himself, alighted from his car and stabbed Nofiu Amosun severally before they drove off from the scene,” Chief Oladosu narrated.
The Aro of Agosasa further said he and other chiefs were immediately taken to the office of the Department of State Service (DSS), Abeokuta where they spent three days in detention.
He said they were still in the custody of the DSS in Abeokuta when they learned that while the youth of the Agosasa were protesting and moving toward the Secretariat of Ipokia Local Government, another person, Rafiu Fadeyi was gunned down by one of the supporters of Otunba Akeem Adigun named Godonu Seripa, who immediately bolted away and yet to be seen since then.
According to Chief Oladosu, Aro of Agosasa, while the younger brother of the deceased ran to the town to inform others and took a vehicle to take the deceased to the hospital, the body of Rafiu Fadeyi had been removed and up till now the corpse is still missing.
Oladosu further said on the night of September 12, 2022, the soldiers of 192 Battalion, Owode Yewa, Ogun State entered Agosasa and made two arrests. Wasiu Ibikunle and Fatai Fadeyi were arrested inside their Abogunrin compound. Wasiu Ibikunle died in the hands of the soldiers, while Fatai survived after spending 13 days in the military hospital at the 192 Battalion barracks, adding that days after Joel Fadeyi was shot severally, for divine intervention Joel was saved.
He also said despite several complaints and petitions to the Police and Nigeria Army in Ogun State, Otunba Akeem Adigun and others are yet to be arrested and investigated to ascertain their culpability.
Given the reasons for the deaths of three persons, Chief Awode Oladosu said Otunba Akeem Adigun, alias Socopao, suddenly brought one Azeez Akinpelu as his candidate to succeed the late monarch, Oba James Oyebi Elegbede about two months after Oba-elect Sunday Olasina Adediran Abogunrin was called to Ipebi.
The kingmakers resisted him. The head of the kingmakers said the immediate past monarch was from the Ariselogbe Ruling House from Agosasa Isale whether the late Oba lived at Agosasa Oke, adding that Otunba Akeem Adigun complained that it was the turn of Agosasa Isale.
Agosasa is divided into two communities, Agosasa Oke and Agosasa Isale, each side has two ruling houses, Agosasa Oke has Fadeyi-Alaga and olowo-Ologunba ruling houses. While Agosasa Isale has Ariselogbe and Kuemi Ajadi ruling houses. The late Oba James Oyebi Elegbede, Oja of Agosasa, came from the Ariselogbe ruling house.
However, speaking to journalists virtually on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, Otunba Akeem Adigun admitted that his police orderly shot Nofiu Amosun in self-defence.
According to Otunba Adigun (Socopao), the motorcycle on which Nofiu Amosun was riding with Okada rider crossed his convoy and halted their movement. His police orderly quickly alighted to challenge the intruders, adding that as Nofiu Amosun was about to stab the police orderly with a “Jackknife” the latter gave him a “stud”, disarmed and shot him. He denied stabbing him.
Socopao as he’s fondly called, then proceeded on his journey to Abeokuta to meet the government appointment. He said subsequently, his house with seven vehicles one of which contained $65,000 was burnt down, including his family house.
He insisted that since the late Oba James Oyebi Elegbede had been instructed by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs not to appoint any new chief until the resolution of the crisis in the Agosasa Council of Chiefs in 2020, any chief appointed by the late Oba was invalid, saying that the crisis was unresolved until the Oba Elegbede died on February 21, 2022.
This paper sighted the letter with reference number CHM. 3/22/311 dated 27th February 2020 from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and signed by Adesoji Adewuyu, Director of Chieftaincy Affairs and “Declaration … for the Selection to the Bale of Agosasa Chieftaincy made on April 15, 1961.
Chief Fatai Ajibola, the Oga Ilu, Agosasa, corroborating Aro of Agosasa, Chief Awode Oladosu, said until 1997, that Baale was the traditional ruler of Agosasa. The stool of Oja of Agosasa was upgraded in 1997 by the military administrator of Ogun State, Wing Commander Sam Ewang.
Oga Ilu of Agosasa said historically, Agosasa is divided into two. That made the town have two sets of the same chiefs before the harmonisation in 1997 when the Baale was upgraded to coronet Oba.
Before the upgrading of bale to oba, there were Oga Ilu, Agosasa Oke and Oga Ilu, Agosasa Isale. Also, there were Balogun Agosasa Oke and Balogun Agosasa Isale. But since the upgrading of Agosasa Bale to Oba Agosasa, they had been harmonized to only Oga Ilu Agosasa and Balogun Agosasa, according to Chief Fatai Ajibola, the Oga Ilu of Agosasa.
Chief Ajibola further said Agosasa has returned to its original custom and tradition that existed before the declaration to the Bale chieftaincy declaration of 1961.
He added that there’s only one Oga Ilu of Agosasa, one Balogun and Aro is the head of the Kingmakers of the stool of Oja of Agosasa, adding that Otunba Akeem Adigun alias Socopao was part of the harmonisation before he fell out with the late monarch, Oba James Oyebi Elegbede.
It was also gathered that three different brochures were used to commemorate the installation of the late Oba as Baale in 1995, the one celebrating his upgrading in 1997, and the one marking his 20th anniversary as Oba Agosasa.
The harmonisation referred to by Chief Ajibola was first stated in the brochure celebrating the upgrading and Otunba Akeem Adigun was prominent.
The three brochures also showed that the immediate past Oba came from Ariselogbe Ruling House, Agosasa Isale.
Chief Awode Oladosu, the Aro of Agosasa, pleaded with the governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to ask the police to arrest, investigate and prosecute all the people, including Otunba Akeem Adigun (Socopao), who were involved in the killings of the three person’s in Agosasa.
“What we are asking for is justice for the three young people who were untimely killed, murdered and assassinated. Justice delay is justice denied”, said Chief Awode Oladosu.
