Date: 2013-04-22

A middle aged petty trader, Mr. Kunle Ayodele of Elegosi compound in Egosi, Oke-Ero local government area of Kwara state, has appealed to the state commissioner of police to save him from alleged continued harassment, assault, illegal arrest, detention as well as threat to life by a traditional ruler in the area (name withheld)

The complainant is also asking for N5million as compensation and general damages caused him and his business by the actions of the monarch.

A statement written and signed by the lawyer to the complainant, Mr. Abiodun Dada Esq of Messrs Abiodun Dada & Co, said the complainant is an easy going man and a law abiding citizen who had been residing in Egosi for over 10 years without any problem.

It was gathered from the statement that in furtherance of  Ayodele’s business, his landlord converted a room to a shop in his residence for him to expand his business.

The statement also noted that upon this development, which did not go down well with many people, one Johnson Amuda Yusuf and his mother, Taiye Amuda among others, started harassing and assaulting Ayodele that he stole the blocks that were used to build the shop which his landlord gave him.

It said the complainant was ordered by the Oba to demolish the shop, remove the blocks and take them to the palace.

The statement said after the demolition, no block belonging to the people was found in the construction work except red bricks.

Kunle Ayodele explained that based on the instructions of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC),  the said Johnson and his mother Taiye Amuda were arraigned before the Upper Area Court Omu-Aran, but that the monarch and all members of the Chiefs in council asked the complainant to withdraw the case from court or leave the town within a month.

He said at the expiration of one month, the traditional ruler allegedly reported the complainant to the police that he was selling Indian Hemp, adding that the complainant’s wife was arrested alongside him and detained and that after search, nothing incriminating was found in his house.

Ayodele also alleged that the monarch and his chiefs in council further engaged in threatening his life by placing all sorts of fetish objects in front of his house with a view to frustrating him out of town.