Wakili: We Won’t Stop Arresting Criminals, OPC Insists …As Police Release Detainees

Members of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) say they will not stop arresting criminals threatening peace in any part of Yorubaland.

The National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress, Gani Adams, in a press statement, yesterday, described the detention of the OPC members as “unjust”.

Three members of OPC who are members of the team that arrested a Fulani warlord, Iskilu Wakili, were arrested by police for alleged murder and arson.

They were arrested shortly after OPC handed over Iskilu Wakili to the police, and later released, yesterday.

The three detained OPC members are Dauda Kazeem, Awodele Adedigba and Ramon Hassan.

Adams, who doubles as the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, in the statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, decried the detention of the men.

He noted OPC will continue to ensure the arrest of criminals in collaboration with security agencies.

Adams said, “It is most important news is that the police had released our men in their custody, and it is great. I want to appreciate everybody that have raised their voices against the unjust detention, including well-meaning Nigerians, public opinion experts, socio-cultural groups, such as Afenifere, Yoruba Summit Group and the media for their support while the situation lasts.

“I want to assure Nigerians that the OPC will continue to support and complement the efforts of all security agencies, including the police in ensuring that the South-West is safe.”

OPC Coordinator in Oyo State, Rotimi Olumo, disclosed this in a telephone interview, yesterday.

Olumo said, “The three men were released on bail today from the State Criminal Investigation Department in Iyaganku, Ibadan.

“The police released them on health condition; the three men are seriously ill and need urgent medical attention.

“The police said the three of them should report regularly at the state CID for the ongoing investigation.”

Olumo had also said the men were not moved from the state to Abuja as reported in some sections of the media.

The OPC, last Sunday, arrested Wakili accused of terrorising villages in the Ibarapa area of the state.

The OPC later handed over Wakili to the Oyo State Police Command but the police subsequently detained three OPC operatives for allegedly burning down Wakili’s house and killing an unknown woman in the process.

However, the OPC said the murder and arson allegations were false, adding that it immediately handed over Wakili and three of his accomplices to the police in Igboora after their arrest.

Before Wakili’s arrest, farmers and residents of Ayete, Kajola and neighbouring villages in Ibarapaland lived in perpetual fear of Wakili who was accused of displacing them from their farms, kidnapping their rich men and raping their women.