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IG redeploys officers over attack on Ekiti council chief
From Ifedayo Sayo (Ado-Ekiti) and Bodunrin Babatunde (Lagos)
SIX senior officers of the Ekiti State Police Command have been transferred over the recent assassination attempt on the chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Council, Mr. Taye Fasuba.
The attack had drawn criticism from the Alliance for Democracy (AD), the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere.
Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose denied any link to the assassination bid, insisting that he had made peace with Fasuba.
The state Council of Elders had called for the redeployment of the officers following their alleged refusal to respond to a call by Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe for increased protection of lives and property during the violent protest that followed the attack on Fasuba two weeks ago.
Fasuba, who escaped by the whiskers when about 30 assassins swooped on his residence, had run to the palace of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti for protection.
The monarch was said to have contacted the state Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Patrick Egbunniwe to help maintain law and order and provide adequate protection for Fasuba.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police reportedly told the traditional ruler that he could not immediately despatch his men and besides, it was night.
Oba Adejugbe contacted the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, who instructed the Ondo State Police Command to deploy men to Ado-Ekiti.
The monarch, who at the weekend condemned the state police command for dereliction of duty, said officers deployed by the command did not arrive at his palace until after over five hours.
He commended the Ondo State Police Command for helping to maintain law and order in the town.
Angered by the command's response to the distress call, the state Council of Elders had requested for the immediate redeployment of the top echelon of the command by Inspector General of Police.
Those affected by the redeployment include the Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr. Patrick Egbunniwe, who has been moved to the Force headquarters, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations, Mr. Hilary Opara, Assistant Commissioner, CID, Mr. Sunday Tanu and an officer in charge of the mobile police unit.
The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Azeez Bashir is said to be on annual leave.
A statement by the local AD chairman, Mr. George Akosile, said that the attack on Fasuba was a dangerous threat to political stability of the state.
A youth organisation, Ekiti Council of Patriotic Youths, has equally condemned the attack on Fasuba and warned that anyone who wished to perpetrate evil in the state would not only be exposed and disgraced, he would be ostracised politically from the affairs of the state.
The statement by the group's publicity secretary, Chief Abiodun Akinfasae advised traditional rulers to play the role expected of them before things degenerate any further.
In a statement, the PDP (South-West zone) National Vice Chairman Chief Olabode George, described the murder bid as despicable and unacceptable because violence in any form did not augur well for the growth and development of democracy in the country.
The party appealed to the people of Ado Ekiti to remain calm and maintain law and order as the law enforcement agents would leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of the incident.
Fayose at the weekend, however, declared that the state was becoming increasingly difficult to govern and asked the people to pray for him to succeed.
He also disclosed that he had forgiven Fasuba, with whom he had been at logger heads.
The governor said that himself and Fasuba had reached truce at a meeting in which the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe was present.
Fayose noted that recent attack on Fasuba, which he said some people attempted to link him to, was part of the handi-work of his detractors towards bringing his administration down.
He maintained that he was happy that many political leaders in the state, including traditional rulers had exonerated him, stressing that the event was the darkest moment of his life as he could not "hurt a fly".
Fayose, who declared that the time of acrimony was gone for ever in the state, said only those who did not wish the state well would still want to remember the past.
Also speaking in the same vein, the Cross River State Governor, Mr. Donald Duke who visited the state at the weekend, condemned recent political bickering and the attack on Fayose, saying the people should allow the governor to concentrate on governing the state.
He told Adejugbe during a visit to his palace that "it is the people and not Fayose that will loose at the end of the day if they continued to distract him from the business of governance."
He explained that the people ought to have stopped playing politics after the elections and rallied round Fayose to lift the state through his lofty programmes.
He urged indigenes to think of how to catch up with the older states in terms of infrastructure facilities rather than planning to bring down the Fayose administration.
He commended the governor for doing so much within a short time he had spent in office, saying that though his subject might not value him now, the people would later appreciate him for helping to build the state.
Duke also condemned the feud between the Governor and Fasuba, pointing out that it was the responsibility of Fasuba to always learn how to work with his governor rather than fighting him.
A statement by Afenifere's national administrative secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, stated that "lacking self esteem, sophistication, character and sound values to occupy such a higher office in an enlightened state, Mr. Fayose had embraced crude means to govern the state".
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