Femi Falana Asks IGP To Arraign Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose Within Seven Days For Various Murders
Ayodele Fayose
By SaharaReporters, New York
In a strongly-worded letter dated June 2, Mr. Falana warned that should the IGP fail to do so, he would not hesitate to initiate legal proceedings to compel him to carry out the statutory duties in line with the transformation agenda of the Goodluck Jonathan Administration.
The letter, which contained various annexures and documents, detailed several instances of murder or attempted murder involving Mr. Fayose, including the March 2004 shooting of two students of the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti.
“The investigation conducted by the police established that the killing of both students was carried out by the Ayo Fayose killer squad led by Captain Dayo Okondo and Corporal Moses Usman,” it recalled. “Both suspects have been tried and convicted by the High Court of Ekiti State holden at Ado Ekiti.”
Mr. Falana further stated that the involvement of Mr. Fayose in extra judicial killings in Ekiti state was confirmed by the then Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, at a press conference in Abuja on October 20, 2006.
“On September 2, 2005, the then Deputy Governor, Surv. J.A. Aluko petitioned the police of the plan of his boss, Mr. Ayo Fayose to assassinate him.
“In June 2005, the killer squad was dispatched to Ibadan to eliminate Aare Afe Babalola SAN for challenging the executive brigandage in Ekiti State. The iniquitous plan was leaked to the elder statesman who petitioned the Presidency. Upon the confirmation of the plot President Obasanjo directed the State Security Service to investigate the several allegations of politically motivated killings in Ekiti State. The assignment was carried out by the SSS which produced a 33-page report on the reign of terror under the Ayo Fayose regime.”
The petition observed that the police did file a murder charge against Mr. Fayose at the Ekiti State High Court in November 2006, but that he suspect was on the run at that time.
It recounted: “Upon his return to Nigeria the Ekiti State government under Engr. Segun Oni requested the police to arrest and arraign Mr. Ayo Fayose for the murder of Mr. Tunde Omojola. As the request was turned down the Ekiti State Attorney-General applied and obtained an order of the High Court for the arrest and prosecution of the murder suspect. But before the warrant of arrest was executed Mr. Ayo Fayose filed an appeal against the order of the High Court. Although the Court of Appeal dismissed the frivolous appeal on December 10, 2009, Mr. Ayo Fayose has not been arrested by the police.”
He therefore urged the IGP to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mr. Fayose and his cohorts for the afore-mentioned cases of murder and attempted committed from 2003-2009.
Mr. Fayose is currently attempting to regain the governorship of Ekiti State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Full text of the petition:
June 2, 2014
The Inspector-General of Police,
Nigeria Police Force,
Police Headquarters,
Louis Edet House,
Abuja.
DEMAND FOR THE ARREST AND PROSECUTION OF MR. AYO FAYOSE FOR SUNDRY ALLEGATIONS OF MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SEVERAL PERSONS COMMITTED IN EKITI STATE FROM 2003-2009.
As a firm of legal practitioners dedicated to the defence of human rights and the promotion of democracy and rule of law we have had cause to collaborate with the Nigeria Police Force to stamp out extra-judicial killings and politically motivated assassinations in the country.
As you are no doubt aware, the killer squad set up by the Ayo Fayose regime (2003-2006) unleashed violent attacks on several indigenes of the State for challenging his official impunity. Some politicians who nursed ambition to contest governorship or senatorial elections in the State were not spared. While the killer squad assassinated two students (2004), Mr. Tunde Omojola (2005), Dr. Ayo Daramola (2006) and Engr. Kehinde Fasuba (2009) there were attempts to assassinate some other persons.
Based on incessant complaints of concerned citizens including the relations of those who were exterminated by the killer squad the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service investigated the sundry allegations of politically motivated killings and came up with detailed reports which indicted Mr. Ayo Fayose and his accomplices. Although two members of the killer squad were successfully prosecuted while others are standing trial at the Ekiti State High Court and Kogi State High Court Mr. Fayose has been treated like a sacred cow. The details of the murderous activities of the criminal suspect are set out hereunder:
A. ALLEGATIONS OF MURDER
i. On December 16, 2003 a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Muyiwa Adeyanju was shot dead at Ikere Ekiti by the killer squad during a peaceful protest against the Ayo Fayose regime. Attached herewith and marked Annexure “A” is a photocopy of The Comet newspaper of December 17, 2003 which reported the incident.
ii. On March 4, 2004, two students of the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti were shot dead during a peaceful protest. The investigation conducted by the police established that the killing of both students was carried out by the Ayo Fayose killer squad led by Captain DayoOkondo and Corporal Moses Usman. Both suspects have been tried and convicted by the High Court of Ekiti State holden at Ado Ekiti.
iii. On May 28, 2005 the Ayo Fayose killer squadmurdered Mr. Tunde Omojola during a local government by-election in a ward at
Ifaki, Ekiti. Mr. Ayo Fayose, the then governor of Ekiti State, led the armed gang that snuffed life out of Mr. Tunde Omojola, a Holland based Nigerian who was at home on a short holiday. Mr. Omojola’s “offence” was that he had the temerity to challenge the brazen rigging of the election by the criminal elements. The investigation conducted into the gory murder of Mr. Tunde Omojola indicted Mr. Fayose and members of his killer squad. Apart from Mr. Fayose all the other suspects who are members of the killer squad have been charged to court for conspiracy and murder. Attached herewith and marked Annexure “B” is a copy of the Charge Sheet.
vi. On August 14, 2004, Dr. Ayo Daramola, a World Bank Consultant, was brutally assassinated in his country home at Ifaki, Ekiti by professional armed robbers contracted by the killer squad. The deceased had indicated his wish to challenge Mr. Fayose at the primary for the 2007 governorship election on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party. All the suspects who are members of the killer squad have been charged to court except Mr. Ayo Fayose, the mastermind of the murderous attack. Attached herewith and marked Annexure “C” is a copy of the Charge Sheet.
v. On January 3, 2009, Engr. Kehinde Fasuba wasassassinated by a gang of assassins who were hired for N2 million by Mr. Ayo Fayose through one Mr. “Abecity” based in Ibadan, Oyo State. Mr. Fasuba waskilled for nursing ambition to contest the Ekiti Central Senatorial election on the ticket of PDP. Mr. Fayose later contested the election but was rejected at the polls by the electorate. When the said Mr. “Abecity” was arrested by the police and detained at Abuja it was Mr. Fayose who stood surety for him. Neither Mr. Fayose nor his agents have been prosecuted for the murder of Engr. Kehinde Fasuba.
vi It may interest you to know that the gang of criminals recruited by Ayo Fayose to kill Engr. Kehinde Fasuba also kidnapped the Attah of Ayede Ekiti, Oba Joseph Orishagbemi at Ilawe Ekiti on September 20, 2010. A few hours later, they also kidnapped the Provost of the College of Education, Dr. Ogunleye. The suspects are currently standing trial at the High Court, Lokoja, Kogi State for the abduction of several persons. While he was the governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose once caused the police at the Okesha Police Station,Ado Ekiti to detain Oba Orishagbemi in the midst of armed robbers!
vii. Since the trial of the kidnappers will soon be concluded at the Kogi State High Court they should be charged along with Mr. Ayo Fayose at the Ekiti State High Court for conspiracy and murder of Engr. Kehinde Fasuba without any further delay.
B. ALLEGATIONS OF ATTEMPTED MURDER
a. On Sunday, February 15, 2004 Mr. SikiruBabalola was violently attacked by the Ayo Fayose killer squad at Ado Ekiti. He
ran to a church where he was protected by worshippers. The criminals damaged the Izuzu Jeep belonging to Mr Babalola beyond repairs. Mr. Fayose prevented the Ekiti State Police Command from investigating the attempted murder and willful
damage to property. Attached and marked Annexure “D” is a copy of Mr. Babalola’s Petition.
b. The six policemen deployed from the Police Headquarters to investigate the murderous attack on Mr. Babalola were prevented by Mr. Ayo Fayose from carrying out their statutory duty. When they insisted they were assaulted by the killer squad. Attached herewith and marked Annexure “E” is a copy of the report of the assault of the policemen published by the Comet newspaper of Friday, February 27, 2004.
c. On September 11, 2004, the killer squadattempted to assassinate Mr. Taiye Fasuba, the then Chairman of Ado Ekiti Local
Government for challenging the diversion of local government funds in Ekiti State by Mr. Ayo Fayose. Even though Mr. Fasuba escaped rather miraculously amember of the killer squad was mistakenly shot dead in the violent attack. After the incident both Messrs. Ayo Fayose and Taye Fasuba were summoned to theVilla at Abuja by President Olusegun Obasanjo where they were “reconciled” in the presence of the then Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun Esq., theEwi of Ado Ekiti and Aare Afe Babalola SAN. Attached herewith and marked Annexure “F” is a copy of The Punch newspaper of September 21, 2004 on the police investigation of the attempted murder.
d. On March 21, 2005, the killer squad attacked Mr. Michael Ajasin, who was then the Chairmanship candidate of the National Conscience Party in the local government election for Ekiti South West Local Government. Even though the assassins narrowly missed their target Mr. Ayo Fayose did not allow the Ekiti State Police Command to investigate the violent attack.
e. Sometime in 2010, there was an attempt to killJustice S.A. Daramola (current Chief Judge of Ekiti State). Mr. Ayo Fayose had paid a notorious armed robber/kidnapper, Patrick Owie the sum of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only) to kill the judge for refusing to strike out the murder charge against him (Fayose) pending before the judge at the material time. The assassin who was to kill the judge while returning to Ado EKiti from a wedding at Awo Ekiti had a change of mind when he realized that the judge had once struck out a charge against him. A copy of the confessional statement of the hired assassin is attached and marked Annexure “G”.
f. The involvement of Mr. Ayo Fayose in extra judicial killings in Ekiti state was confirmed by the then Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero at a press conference held in Abuja on October 20, 2006.Attached herewith and marked Annexure “H” is a copy of The Punch newspaper of October 21, 2006 which reported the press conference.
g. On September 2, 2005, the then Deputy Governor, Surv. J.A. Aluko petitioned the police of the plan of his boss, Mr. Ayo Fayose to assassinate him. Attached herewith and marked Annexure “I” is a photocopy of the petition submitted to the police by Surv. Aluko.
h. In June 2005, the killer squad was dispatched to Ibadan to eliminate Aare Afe Babalola SAN for challenging the executive brigandage in Ekiti State. The iniquitous plan was leaked to the elder statesman who petitioned the Presidency. Upon the confirmation of the plot President Obasanjo directed the State Security Service to investigate the several allegations of politically motivated killings in Ekiti State. Theassignment was carried out by the SSS which produced a 33-page report on the reign of terror under the Ayo Fayose regime.
i. During a local government by-election in April, 2006 Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd.) was brutally attacked by armed thugs and mobile policemen on the orders of Mr. Ayo Fayose. According to the former military governor, "I was saying I was a former military administrator and ex-naval officer, showing them my identity card. They just seized the ID card and told me to comply by lying down. And the next thing was they started kicking and manhandling me, forcing me to lie down and matchetted me in the back". Attached and marked Annexure “J” is a copy of The Punch newspaper of April 29, 2006.
j. The Police filed a murder charge against Mr. Ayo Fayose at the Ekiti State High Court in November 2006 but the suspect was
then on the run. Upon his return to Nigeria the Ekiti State government under Engr. Segun Oni requested the police to arrest and arraign Mr. Ayo Fayose for the murder of Mr. Tunde Omojola. As the request was turned down the Ekiti State Attorney-General applied and obtained an order of the High Court for the arrest and prosecution of the murder suspect. But before the warrant of arrest was executed Mr. Ayo Fayose filed an appeal against the order of the High Court. Although the Court of Appeal dismissed the frivolous appeal on December 10, 2009, Mr. Ayo Fayose has not been arrested by the police.
In the light of the foregoing, I urge you to use your good offices to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mr. Ayo Fayose and his cohorts for the afore-mentioned sundry cases of MURDER and ATTEMPTED MURDER committed from 2003-2009, without any further delay.
TAKE NOTICE that if the serial murder suspect, Mr. Ayo Fayose is not arrested and arraigned in court for attempted murder and murder before June 13, 2014we shall not hesitate to initiate legal proceedings to compel you to carry out your statutory duties in line with the transformation agenda of the Goodluck Jonathan Administration.
Please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.
Yours sincerely,
FEMI FALANA, SAN
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