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By Sunday Ani
Men of the Lagos Police Command have arrested a suspect, Shola Adegun, for threatening the life of High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye, the traditional ruler of Otumara community in the Lagos Mainland Local Government of the state.
The suspect alongside the dethroned traditional ruler of the community, Ladi Arowojolu who is at large allegedly assaulted, harassed, falsely accused and threatened to end the life of the complainant for preventing them from locking traders shops and disrupting trading activities at the community’s local market.
Responding to a petition addressed to the State Commissioner of Police, the CP Squad led by ASP Jagunno invaded the community at the early hours of Saturday and arrested the suspect while others fled the community.
Kalejaiye through his lawyer, Barr Kayode Ajala alleged that the dethroned traditional ruler, Ladi Arowojolu led the suspect, Shola Adegun and others fully armed with guns and machetes to invade the community market and ejected traders and lock up their shops claiming that the shops belong to him.
The petition read in part, “That on Friday, December 15th, 2023, a trader in the community, Moses Ekuma Nwabueze reported to the traditional ruler, High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye the disruption of trading activities and forceful closure of their shops by thugs led by Ladi Arowojolu and Shola Adegun.
The traders immediately called the attention of High Chief Kalejaiye to rescue the situation. But on sighting the traditional ruler, Arowojolu verbally assaulted, intimidated and harassed him while the suspect, Shola Adegun with a short gun tucked under his trouser threatened to bench our client. The street slang, ‘Bench’ literally means to kill him. We have evidence to back up the above claim credited to Ladi Arowojolu and his cohorts.
Meanwhile, our client realising the motives of Arowojolu and his cohorts to foment trouble within the community reported the matter at the Iponri police station where he was directed to unlock the shops and allow the traders to continue their trade to avoid breakdown of law and order.
It is instructive to state that Ladi Arowojolu and his accomplices are known for intimidating and harassing traders and residents within the community, a method he adopted to exert his authority despite his removal as the traditional ruler by the late Oloto of Otto, Oba Ganiu Odesanya in 2013 and the Divisional Chieftaincy committee.
Despite his removal, Ladi Arowojolu has continued to parade himself as the traditional ruler of Otumara community thereby causing disturbance and breeding cultism and hooliganism in the community.”
In 2016, a complaint of similar nature was reported against the dethroned traditional ruler by his uncle, Rev Glover Abayomi Akintimehin at the Force Intelligence Bureau, Kam Salem, Lagos.
In the petition dated 12th of August 2016, Akintimehin who was at the time the Chairman, Otumara CDA, lamented series of unwholesome activities and acts of violence including character assassination by Ladi Arowojolu and his collaborators.
He said, “Sometimes in November 2013, Ladi Arowojolu brought thugs and miscreants armed with cutlasses and dangerous weapons to the community market. The incident was reported at Iponri police station and upon the arrival of the police, 22 suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons and charms recovered from them.”
Kalejaiye commended the State Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade for swiftly responding to his distress call.
He however urged the State police boss to ensure that the allegations are thoroughly investigated and culprit found guilty brought to justice.
