Former governor of Oyo State and Osi Olubadan of Ibadan, Rashidi Ladoja has alleged that the gunmen who attacked the palace of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, on Monday, came to kill him.

Background:

• The Olubadan and Ladoja have been at war with governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi for crowning 21 kings in a day.
• The duo have also sued the governor over his action.
• Some hoodlums had launched an attack on the palace on Monday during the installation of family heads, known as mogajis.
• The Oyo State chapter of the APC had said Ladoja should be blamed for the attack.

Ladoja’s statement:

• The former governor said the monarch was threatened with attacks if he went ahead with the installation.

He said, “How can a responsible person organise that AK-47 and pump action guns be shot at his direction. Are AK-47 and pump action guns toys that can be played with?

“We urge security agencies to beam their searchlight on the APC and their agents in the state so as to unravel the perpetrators of the act.

“They sent their killer squad to kill Ladoja but unfortunately for them, the bullet hit another vehicle that belongs to Sarafadeen Alli, a senior chief of the Olubadan, with the hope that the vehicle belonged to Ladoja. The damage done to the vehicle and the incident has been reported to security agencies.

“It is noteworthy that some bystanders were able to identify the vehicle and some of the hoodlums, which include one aide that usually accompanies a High Chief, who is now an Oba and who is also a signatory to the purported letter written by the so-called Oba-in-Council against the Olubadan.

“It should be recalled that preparatory to the installation at the palace, a set of people, who called themselves Ibadan Oba-in-Council, wrote a letter of protest to the Olubadan, telling him not to carry out his lawful duties.

“Based on the letter, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters wrote another letter threatening the Olubadan of great consequences should he go ahead with his lawful programme.

“Not satisfied with a fake delivery record on the letter, they went with Operation Burst soldiers and riot policemen fully armed to paste the letters on the wall of the Olubadan palace.”

Azeez