30th September, 2014
Ekiti state Police Command says it has arrested 19 suspects, including a woman, following the assassination of Omolafe Aderiye, former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), on 25 September.
In a statement issued by police spokesperson, Victor Babayemi, the police command said the arrests were made between last Saturday and yesterday.
The statement also noted that thorough investigation had commenced on finding the murderers. All of them are still with us as we are investigating their levels of culpability. It is a sensitive case and investigations have to be thorough. All of them are also helping us (the police) in our investigations,” he said.
The statement noted that the police refused to reveal the identities of those undergoing interrogation for intelligence reasons, adding that, they would be made known at the appropriate time.
Babayemi said the police held a separate meeting with leaders of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), NURTW, traders, religious leaders, motorcycle riders and other interest groups to find a lasting solution to the upsurge of violence.
At the meeting headed by the Assistant Inspector-General in charge of Zone 8, Mr. Christopher Dega and the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police were eight traditional rulers.
They were Oba Idowu Adamo Babalola (the Onitaji of Itaji and Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers); Oba Adebayo Adewole, the Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti; Oba James Adedapo Popoola, Oore of Otun-Ekiti; and Oba Gbadebo Adedeji, Owa Ooye of Okemesi.
Others were Oba Olu Adegoke Adeyemi, Alara of Aramoko; Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, the Oloye of Oye kingdom and Oba Samuel Ajiboye, the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti.
The police commissioner urged the traditional rulers to maintain and sustain peace, adding that, they have influence on their people, which he urged them to use.