Assassination: Okun monarchs seek unconditional release of LG boss, others

The crisis generated by the arrest of the chairman of the Ijumu local government area of Kogi state over the attempted assassination of the senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, Dino Melaye, assumed a new twist on Sunday, as traditional rulers from Okunland appealed for unconditional release of the detained administrator of Ijumu Local Government, Mr Taufiq Isa, by the police to allow for amicable resolution of the crisis.

The monarchs said there was the need to resolve the crisis amicably to avoid its escalation.

The traditional rulers led by the acting chairman of the Okunland Traditional Council, the Olubunu of Bunuland, Oba Adewale Ikusemoro, made the appeal on Sunday in Lokoja during a press conference.

He said that both Dino and Isa were their sons, saying they had been summoned for a peaceful resolution of the crisis between them.

The Oba warned that the crisis if not carefully handled could engulf the whole of Okunland, saying that things could not be taken for granted as the 2019 elections were drawing nearer.

Ikusemoro, who was flanked by other leading traditional rulers from Okunland, said that they had also met with the state governor to ask for his support for the peaceful resolution of the crisis.

The police had on April 29 in Abuja paraded Isa and five other persons for being behind the April 15 gun attack on Melaye’s residence at Ayetoro-Gbede in Ijumu Local Government.

Also speaking, the Majority Leader of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Mathew Kolawole, said that they stood in solidarity with Isa in his travail.

They implore the police not to hold Isa further but charged him to court for opportunity to defend himself.

“Sen. Dino once threatened to send both Taufiq Isa and the Chief of Staff to prison, police should never allow itself to be used.”

“Dino should focus on law making and leave our people alone. The Senate should know today that Sen. Dino is representing the entire Okun nation and should respect our tradition and culture,” Kolawole said.

The Kogi Integrity Group (KIG) in its submission chided the police for parading Isa and others without concluding investigations into the alleged crime.

The Leader of the group, Mr Dare Michael, condemned the media trial of Isa and threatened to drag the police to court for abuse of fundamental human rights of Isa if he not released immediately.

He said, “We know that there is power game in current persecution of Hon Taufiq Isa because he is a local government Chairman.

“Dino knows that his antecedents can never earn him a second term ticket due to his poor representation of his people in the senate, we think the best thing for him is to retrace his step rather than engaging in an unending battle with everybody.”

At the press conference are the Secretary to the state government, Dr Folasaade Ayoade, Commissioner for education, Mr Joseph Tolorunleke, Commissioner for finance, Mr Idris Asiwaju, and other political appointees from Okunland.