A new twist has been added to the dispute between the Oba of Jebba, HRH Oba Abdulkadir Alabi Adebara and the Ilorin Emirate.
Late this week, aides of the Oba have made grievous allegations that the Ilorin Emirate controlled by the Fulani is plotting to kill the Oba whose ancestors came to the throne in 1703.
The Oba had just returned from a press briefing and was been welcomed by a mammoth crowd, when some armed men stormed the place, shooting sporadically.
There was pandemonium as people scamper for safety. The attack left three people dead with 12 people sustaining sever degree of injuries.
An eyewitness account revealed that a 10-seater bus and two motorcycles parked behind the crowd with armed men alighting from the bus and the motorcycles. Before the crowd could know what was amiss, the men had brought out machetes, arrows, spears and guns attacking everyone.
Another eyewitness said that the men were assassins who specifically came to kill the Oba. Fortunately for the Oba, he escaped.
Following the attack on the Oba, accusing fingers is been pointed at Mr. Kayode Okedare. Kayode is been alleged as the mastermind of the attack on the people and the assassination plot of the Oba.
The accusation prompted the police to do a raid at the house of Kayode. ACP Maigama led the police to the house of Kayode, and recovered guns, arrows and matchetes, along with 21 suspected armed men that carried out the attack on the Oba and the people. They were all arrested.
But the issue took a new twist, when the Emir of Illorin, HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari facilitated the release of all the suspects. The news of the release of all the suspects came as a shock to residents of the community and keen observers who queried the motive behind their release. Why did the police release the suspects? Have the police provided adequate security for the Oba and his people? Has the suspects been prosecuted or arraigned in court? What is the interest of the Emir in court? Why is justice truncated? Why was the Oba targeted for assassination? Is the attack politically motivated? Has the Oba ruffled feathers with the powers that be? These are questions begging for answers.
Investigation revealed that Kayode, who is the principal of Government Secondary School, Jebba, is the brother to Matthew Okedare and Simon Okedare, the deputy Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly and the clerk to Kwara State House of Assembly. Perhaps, these are the reasons why Kayode is walking round the area as a free man.
Investigation also revealed that the Illorin Emirate is claiming to own the territory of the Oba of Jebba, which observers says is an act of imperialism. Due to the resilience of Adebara, the aides alleged that the Illorin emirates are using Kayode to carry out the assassination plot, insisting that this was the reason why the emir of Illorin facilitated the release of the suspected assassins.
