AHEREGBE: Court remands one of suspected Akure thugs unleashed on Isolo, Isinkan during festival in prison
By KEMI KASUMU and OUR REPORTERS, Akure
Update on the Tuesday August 27, 2024 invasions of Isolo and Isinkan townships of Akure South Local Government and Akure West Local Council Development Area, respectively, in Ondo State, South West Nigeria has it that one of the thugs reportedly unleashed on the autonomous communities by Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, has been remanded in prison.
This came as an Akure magistrate court ordered that the hoodlum by name, Tosin Balogun, aged 26, be remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre after his arraignment by the Ondo State Command on Thursday August 29, 2024.
Balogun, who was among the Deji’s thugs led by one Kola Asoga to disrupt the Iralepo of Isinkan Market, a territory the Akure monarch they worked for is forbidden by law to encroach into, was arrested and handed over to police by Isinkan youths who later mobilise to repel the neighbouring Akure invaders.
READ ALSO: Markets, shops in Isolo remain open as Akure celebrates Aheregbe Tuesday – Oba Osolo
The report also had it that the other group of the thugs sent to Isolo to disrupt the Osolo Market was led by a Deji’s close aide and trusted chief, Taiwo Raphael Adegbite, who was also repelled by Isolo youths but without any arrest possible as atvthe time of invasion.
READ ALSO: Isinkan markets, shops open for business during Akure festival Tuesday
Since the arrest of Tosin Balogun, leader of his thuggery gang, Kola Asoga, and other invaders have been on the run as police operatives went after them. Another popular and dreaded Akure thug, also working for the Deji, Ade Basket, has claimed to be sick and on admission at Federal Medical Centre, Owo, and police has been urged to go and guard him there until he recovers and bring him to justice.
The DEFENDER reports that the Ondo State Police Command arraigned the suspect, Tosin Balogun, and others at large for a four-count charge at the Magistrate Court in Akure on Thursday.
The charges
The charge sheet read thus:
COUNT I: “That you TOSIN BALOGUN “M’ and others now at large on the 27th August, 2024 at about 07:00am at Isikan Market, in the Akure Magisterial District did conspired together to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the criminal code cap 37 Vol. 1. Laws of Ondo Stale of Nigeria 2006.”
COUNT II: “That you TOSIN BALOGUN “M’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did steal the following items: Tomatoes, Rodo, Tatase, crate of Eggs and fish, and the sum of three hundred and three thousand naira only “N303,000.00k” properties of Ayeka Toyin ‘T’, Alaba Mary T. Ayelara Funke ‘f. Olaitan Bukola ‘f Olowookere Deborah and Ajibola Omowunmi and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 390(9) of the criminal code cap 37 Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”
Count III: “That you TOSIN BALOGUN “M’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace by scaring away traders with weapon at Isinkan market and compelling them to observe Dududu festival and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 249(D) of the criminal code cap 37 Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.”
COUNT IV: “That you TOSIN BALOGUN M’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully and maliciously damaged the following items: (1) Pepper and eggs valued eight hundred and thirty five thousand naira “835,000” property of one Ayeka Toyin T (2) Plantain valued twenty five thousand mairs “N25,000” property of one Alaba Mary ‘f (3) 25 crates of eggs valued one hundred and twenty five thousand naira “N125,000” property of one Ayelara Funke (4) Pepper valued forty thousand naira “N40,000” property of one Olaitan Bukola ‘F (5) Pepper valued forty thousand naira “N40,000” property of one Olowookere Deborah ‘I and (6) Smoked fish valued thirty eight thousand naira “N38,000″ property of one Ajibola Omowunmi ‘f and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 451 of the criminal code cap 37 Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.”
The magistrate court, however, adjourned the matter to 25th of September, 2024 and ordered that the suspect be remanded in Olokuta Correctional Centre.
Action by the state government, the security forces and court
The breeches committed
The Ondo State Executive Council had in 2022 issued a circular restricting any festival of traditional rulers across the state that involved the closure of markets to only the market adjoining their palaces.
Other towns across the state have since complied with the government directive. The circular has, however, been breached in the state capital with attempts to extend such festivals to neighbouring Isinkan and Isolo in spite of the historical records that showed that the contentious festival was forbidden from reaching those communities.
The dimension by which the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, now employs the services of violent thugs to invade and attack communities ruled by own respective Obas at a festival period he and his Akure people should, in line with government’s effort, celebrate peacefully within their Akure land, is now the angle that worries many.
