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The Oyo State Police Command has accused members of the Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC) who were involved in the arrest of Iskilu Wakili, a self-acclaimed Fulani warlord in Ibarapa area of Oyo State, of murder.
The police spokesperson in the state, Gbenga Fadeyi, said a woman was burnt to death while the OPC members were attempting to arrest Wakili.
He also said Wakili has been moved to the hospital as a result of his “frail appearance and state of health.”
The Fulani herder was arrested in Ayete town in Ibarapa area of Oyo on Sunday after a gun fight with the OPC and other vigilante groups.
He had been accused of various crimes in the state and had challenged Sunday Adeyemo, a yoruba rights activist popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to a duel after the latter asked herders to leave Ibarapa land for allegedly contributing to insecurity in the area.
In a statement issued hours after the arrest, Fadeyi said the police was alerted to the invasion of Wakili’s house by the OPC around 9am on Sunday.
“While there, the house of the Wakili in question was set ablaze, while a female (the identity of who is yet to be ascertained) was burnt in the fire and Wakili (about 75 years old and blind) with two other persons were picked up.
“The three of them are presently in the custody of the Police. The Commissioner of Police has directed that Wakili (due to his frail appearance and state of health), be moved to the hospital while others are being interrogated. Others being interrogated are the OPC members, involved in arson and murder,” the statement said.
Fadeyi added that anyone found to have committed any crime, especially regarding the matter, irrespective of their ethnic group “would not be spared” by the police.
“In conclusion, anybody that has any case against Iskilu Wakili should report it to the State Criminal Investigation Department, (CID) Iyaganku Ibadan for discreet Investigation,” he added.