Crisis: Fayose imposes curfew on Ekiti

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has imposed a curfew on Ado Ekiti to prevent the raging fight between transport workers and Hausa traders from spreading to other parts of the state.

The governor, while addressing the Hausa Community at Atikankan area of Ado Ekiti, said the curfew, which started on Thursday, would be on between 6pm and 6am daily.

Fayose also ordered security agents to arrest whoever failed to comply with the order.

The governor, who appealed to the Hausa community to be patient, promised that they would get justice.

“You said you love me, this is the time you have to show this love. I want to plead with you to submit whatever lethal weapon you have in your possession to the police. And if you refuse to do this, whether you are Yoruba or Hausa, the police will arrest you.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us and for the sake of our country, I plead with you to allow peace to reign.”

However, the state Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mr. Akinsola Osundiya, at a briefing with journalists in Ado Ekiti, distanced members of the union from the crisis.

“Our members do not load vehicles in that area, so we were not in any way involved in the clash with the Hausa traders,” he said.

The Chairman of Hausa Community in Ekiti State, Alhaji Adamu Imam, begged the government for monetary assistance for those whose property were damaged by hoodlums during the crisis.

Imam said the names of the perpetrators of the violent attack had been compiled and would be made available to the governor and security agencies for necessary actions.

However, the Ekiti State Police Command has said the number of those injured during the incident had risen to 24.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, on behalf of the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Etop John James, said two of those injured sustained gunshot wounds and were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

“Nobody died in the incident contrary to reports; only two persons sustained pellet wounds while 22 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

“All the injured were taken to the police clinic in Ado-Ekiti where they are being treated and they are responding to treatment,” he said.

The command, however, debunked media reports that four people had died during the clash between the drivers and Hausa Traders at Erekesan Market in Ado Ekiti.

It disclosed that three units of mobile policemen had been stationed on the scene of the violent attack to arrest whoever planned to foment trouble.

The Police enjoined residents to go about their lawful business as enough security arrangement had been made to forestall a re-occurrence.

Meanwhile, the umbrella body for non-indigenes resident in Ekiti State, Non-Indigenes Youth Alliance, has condemned the attack on their members, declaring the act as uncivilised and an act of bestiality.

In a statement signed by its Acting Chairman, Prince Abdulrahaman Oziandu, the group said they never expected their shops to be looted in such a brazen manner.

The body, which praised the governor for quick intervention in resolving the issue, called on relevant agencies to beef up security so that their members could return to work without fear of being molested or intimidated by hoodlums.

Oziandu, who said those who were mostly hit by the attack were Igbo, Hausa, Nupe and Ebira people, accused the assailants of re-selling the looted commodities at cheaper prices to interested members of the public.

He said, “The event of Wednesday was the second in history, when some indigenes, hiding under their popularity will attack whoever that is not their tribe over issues that could be resolved. We are giving this last warning that they should not allow this to happen again.”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ekiti chapter, has called on the CP to arrest those that launched attacks on some journalists in the state while covering the crisis.

The state NUJ Chairman, Laolu Omosilade, in a statement in Ado Ekiti condemned the attack, saying it was the highest point of barbarism in this modern time.