Riot in Ilorin, 2 killed - Gani Adams warns on crisis
AT least two people, including a police corporal,
were shot dead while several others were injured on Sunday
at Idi-Ape area of Ilorin, Kwara State capital, when riot
broke out as a result of the crisis between the Emir of
Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, and three of his high
chiefs. The riot reportedly started in the morning shortly
after the turbaning of the new chiefs appointed by the emir
in his palace to replace the deposed chiefs.
Sources who were corroborated by the police
confirmed that the riots broke out at Idi-Ape and that a
police corporal, whose name was given as Obatayo Obatoke,
was shot in the head while the newly appointed Magaji Are,
Alhaji Shuaib Aremu Zubair, was being escorted to his compound.
Alhaji Zubair, it was gathered, was said not to be the choice
of the Afonja family who had on Saturday afternoon turbanned
Alhaji Saadu Alabi Sulaiman as their choice to succeed Alhaji
Busari Alabi Alasa, the late Magaji Are and father of ex-governor
of Kwara state Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, former Kwara state
governor, who died on September 9.
In retaliation for the shooting of the corporal,
the police killed at least one person while several others
sustained injuries. This development made the market women
to pack their goods and leave the market as early as 11.00
a.m. yesterday. Police Public Relations Officer in the state
police command, Mr. Marcus Gideon, confirmed that two people
were killed in the riot. Mr. Gideon explained that Corporal
Obatayo was shot by those who were protesting over the choice
of the appointees, adding that the civilian died while the
police were defending themselves.
Gideon told the Nigerian Tribune that the
police had restored law and order in the area. He said that
10 people had been arrested and were helping the police
in their investigation. It will be recalled that the Emir
of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, on Friday night
announced the deposition of the chiefs, Alhaji Abdulkareem
Laaro Buhari (Balogun Gambari), Alhaji Shuaib Adio Mahmud
(Balogun Alanamu) and Alhaji Saka Aleshinloye (Baba Isale)
of Ilorin.
Though the emir was yet to make any appointment
into the position of Baba Isale, he, however, named Alhaji
Mohammed Aliyu Adebayo as Balogun Gambari and Alhaji Abubakar
Akanbi Jos as Balogun Alanamu while he also appointed Alhaji
Mahmood Durosinlu Atiku, Alhaji Usman Baba Olobi and Alhaji
Aremu Zubair to fill the existing vacancies of Balogun Fulani,
Balogun Ajikobi and Magaji Are respectively.
However, the deposed high chiefs, in return,
also announced the removal of Alhaji Sulu-Gambari as the
emir of Ilorin. The chiefs, who said that they took the
decision to remove the emir at an emergency meeting they
held on Saturday as the traditional kingmakers of Ilorin,
stated that a new emir would be announced soon. The Emir
of Ilorin denounced his removal, describing the announcement
as the joke of the year.
Reacting yesterday to the news of his purported
removal, Alhaji Gambari, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune
through Alhaji Mohammed Salihu Woru, the Magaji Nda of Ilorin,
said that “common sense dictates that the deposed
chiefs have no power. The statement they issued where they
purportedly removed the emir is illegal, it is criminal
and they are going to face the music. “The appointment
of the new Magaji Are which the Afonja family purportedly
made is also illegal and criminal as the only authority
that can make such appointment according to section 28 of
the chieftaincy law is the emir and the governor.
“We have made our choice and he has
been turbanned. Those who made illegal appointment of Magaji
Are are committing an act of incitement. We are going to
act and they will face the law,” he added. The Magaji
Nda, who maintained that the three chiefs stood removed,
stated that they were no longer popular among the people,
adding, “if they have power and feel that they are
popular, let them come out and walk on the main road.”
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the newly appointed chiefs
were turbanned yesterday at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin
and the turbaning was witnessed by Alhaji Isa Bio Ibrahim,
the speaker of the House of Assembly and some members of
the House.
Meanwhile, Kwara State government has appealed
to the people to be calm and peaceful and maintain law and
order. The government, speaking through Alhaji Nurudeen
Imam Abdulraheem, the Special Assistant to Governor Saraki
on Media and Communications, warned people against taking
the law into their own hands, advising those who have grievances
to go to court. In another development, president of the
Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Chief Gani Adams said on Sunday
that the entire Yoruba rejected the installation of Alhaji
Shuaib Aremu Zubair as the new Magaji Are of Ilorin.
According to the OPC leader, the acceptable
Magaji Are of Ilorin to the Yoruba is Alhaji Saadu Alabi
Sulaiman, adding that any attempt to instal another person
would be bloody. Chief Adams said that the historical background
showed that about 80 per cent of the population in Ilorin
were Yoruba, adding that the Emir had no right to rule Ilorin;
as the Fulanis were not original indigenes of Ilorin. “While
we are not asking the emir to leave, but the emir does not
have power or right to instal another Magaji Aare. It is
another way of bringing problem to Ilorin,” he added.
He, however, pleaded with the emir to allow peace to reign
in the entire Kwara State.
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