Traditional ruler’s son, younger brother killed over land dispute

No fewer than two persons lost their lives in a pandemonium that broke out in Aye of Ejigbo local government area of Osun State between the community members over a land dispute.

The two persons that lost their lives were Prince Isiah Ajala and Gbenga Ajala who were the son and younger brother respectively of the traditional ruler of the town, Alaye of Aye, Oba Mathew Ajala Adediran ll.

Eyewitness account stated that Gbenga Ajala who was brother to the monarch died in the presence of police officers from Zone 11 that came to settle the case on March 11, 2021 while Prince Isaiah Ajala died on March 15 2021 during the cause to arrest those that protested against the death of monarch brother by Police State CID at the mid-night

The state police command however said to have arrested 12 persons including a town high chief in connection with the crisis that was later released.

Investigations, however, revealed that trouble started in the community some days ago when the monarch of the town reportedly gave out land to a Muslim community in the town for the building of a mosque on the claim that the land given to them belonged to the community.

However, when gravel was brought to the land by the Muslim members for the building of the mosque, a man surfaced and ordered them to remove the gravel saying that the land belonged to him and not the community.

This led to a crisis between the two parties and in the process, the person that claimed the ownership of the land was said to have petitioned the office of the AIG Zone 11 in Osogbo for intervention on the matter.

It was learnt that a team of policemen was sent from Osogbo to ascertain the cause of the problem but while on the land, one of the community members who was a kinsman to the monarch (name withheld) slumped and died in the presence of the police.

This development said to have irked the community members who embarked on a protest to express their grievance over the death.

The angry protesters were said to have asked the claimant of the land to vacate the town for he was against the development of the town.

After the protest and while asleep, some gunmen were said to have shot one of the monarch’s sons who was involved in the protest.

While commenting on the matter, Yinka Adigun, former Chairman, Ejigbo Local Government, explained that it was the Kabiyesi that donated the gravel as community development for the building of the mosque but, a man was against it and petitioned the AIG office at Zone 11 in Osogbo.

“The police, the old man and his son were there when a man slumped and before he could be taken to hospital, he died in the presence of AIG’s men and was buried. The following day the youths of the community insisted the man must leave the town.

“They threatened to burn his house and kill him. The Kabiyesi was imploring the youths to calm down. He also cannot withstand the heat, hence, he ran from the town with his children and grandchildren.

“There is a naval officer at Isoko, who was harassed by the man ignorantly. On a Sunday, he went to state command and he came with some police in a bus around 1am and started shooting in the town and 12 youths were arrested and taken away.

“Around 9-10 am, they discovered a boy that was shot while running away around Mission House was Prince Isaiah. The matter was reported to some stakeholders in the state. The CP later came to Kabiyesi and claimed he was not aware of the issue and pledged to deal with the erring officers.”

However, police spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola said one Ayoola authored another petition to the Commissioner of Police, alleging arson and attempted murder.

According to her, “Ayoola wrote a petition to the CP alleging assault and attempted murder. The police that were deployed went there to snap pictures of the burnt house and later went there at night to arrest the suspects. But one of them was violent and attacked a policeman with cutlass before running away.

“The police tried to arrest him but he escaped, only for the community to later report that he was killed in a bush. However, police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death and the eleven arrested suspects are in our custody along with the petitioner.” (Nigerian Tribune)