The pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Tuesday, March 28, called on the police to return the suspects arrested in connection with the crisis in Ile-Ife to Osun state where the incident took place.
This comes even as the group again accused the police of bias in the way it handled the ethnic clash, largely between Hausas and Yorubas in Ile-Ife, Osun state.
According to the group, the police must investigate the crisis with utmost fairness and in line with the ethics of the profession, Premium Times reports.
Ile-Ife crisis: Afenifere again accuses police of bias
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Speaking after a meeting at the Akure home of the leader, Reuben Fasoranti, publicity secretary of the group, Yinka Odumakin, in a statement, condemned the parade and trial of the suspects in Abuja, insisting that they should be brought to Osun for trial.
He said Afenifere condemned the actions of the police, especially the arrest of only Yoruba and accused the police of bias and sectionalism in the way it handled the matter based on the order from above.
Odumakin said: “Afenifere becomes worried with the way the police handled the Ife crisis, especially considering the fact that the leadership of the presidency and that of the police are from one of the sections involved in the crisis.
“The police intimidated, harassed and embarrassed the Yoruba people of Ile-Ife. They arrested some Yoruba people in the town and even pronounced them guilty without any trial.
“Up till now, the suspects are not arraigned, neither were they tried, yet the police pronounced them guilty.”
He added: “The police remain a federal institution which is for all Nigerians regardless of tribe or ethnic affiliation. The police should not be seen as an institution for a particular ethnic group, as we are being made to understand through their actions now.
“The suspects should be brought to Osun state where the offence was allegedly committed and they should be tried there. If they are found guilty, they should be punished in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are not in support of criminal acts, neither are we in support of cheating, like the police are doing.
“While sympathising with the victims of the Ife crisis, including the Hausas and the Yorubas, especially those who lost their lives, we call for thorough investigation into the matter to determine the cause of the crisis and also punish those involved to serve as deterrent for others.”
He continued: “However, we condemn the police for arresting only Yoruba people and also parading them. We are worried with the way the police pronounced them guilty without being tried. This shows that the police are sectional in the handling of this matter involving two different ethnic groups. How could people be called criminals without being tried?
“The office of the state Attorney General should be given roles to play in our constitution. In the case of the Ife crisis, the office of the Attorney General of Osun state and the Ministry of Justice as a whole should be the one to advise the police on the matter. The Osun state police command should be the one to investigate the crisis with the state Ministry of Justice and not the police headquarters.
“Those penalized should be brought back to Osun state forthwith. They should not be tried in Abuja or any other place where the offence was not committed. Also, the police should stop dehumanising the suspects and show that they are for all Nigerians and not for a particular ethnic group in the country.”
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ZENITHBLOG.com recalls that Afenifere had earlier lamented that only the Yorubas were arrested while the other warring group, the Hausas, were left alone by the police.
Afenifere said that the parade of the suspects in Abuja showed “undue sectional deployment of federal might.”
This came after the police arrested 39 suspects and paraded 21 of them after investigations led to evidence against them.
A check of the names of the arrested suspects who were paraded indicated that all of them were Yoruba, but the police spokesman denied that the investigation was targeted at a particular group.
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