Ihunbo Chieftaincy: Rights group drags Ogun Commissioner, Others Before EFCC
A human rights group, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice
(CHRSJ) has dragged Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and
Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Dolapo Adewumi, Permanent Secretary in the
Ministry, Mr. A.O. Sobande with the Director, Mr. Jide Ojukwo, the
Chairman, Ipokia Local government area of the State, Mr. Josu Amos
Senayon and Mr. Babajide Johnson, the Chairman, Idiroko Local
Government Development Authority, before the Economic and Financial
Crime Commission(EFCC) over an alleged bribery scandal.
The group had earlier sworn to a Court affidavit on the similar issue
and forwarded the same to the Chief Judge of Ogun State on the
allegation of the plan to bribe the Presiding Judge of Ipokia High
Court, Justice Owodunni to influence the outcome of the matter before
the Court on the Ihunbo Chieftaincy matter by the defendants.
It further alleged the aforementioned State officials of committing
criminal offence of abuse of office, official corruption, perjury and
forgery of chieftaincy documents and collection of bribe from
notorious criminals and land grabbers, Titus Babajide(aka
Oppressor),Sunday Olamide Joseph and Fatai Isiaka, calling for
thorough and proper investigation of the alleged bribery scandal by
the anti-graft agency.
According to the Petition Letter dated Monday 3rd of April, 2017,
signed by the CHRSJ’s Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi
Sulaiman and forwarded to the EFCC, which a copy was made available to
newsmen on Tuesday, claiming that the State officials had acted in
contrary to Cap C “38” of the Criminal code of the Law of Federation,
EFCC act 2004 and ICPC money laundering act.
Comrade Sulaiman who disclosed in the letter that sum of N240 million
were raised for the project to influence the Chieftaincy matter and
part of the funds were deposited to the bank account of one Mr.
Abidoye Amosun(aka Alhaji Agba) through which the cash had been sent
to its various destinations.
It stated that the group acted in consonance with part (Vii) section
(38) sub-section(1) of the EFCC Act and Section (15) subsection(5)
with section(24) sub-section(4) of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, as amended, believing that they have used their
cash at hand to influence the the illegal and purported installation
of one Sunday Olamide Olaniyan from another ruling house that was not
yet their time to produce the person to fill the vacant stool after
the rightful ruling family, Agbotejoye ruling house had sent their
nomination to the Ministry, adding that the Ministry officials engaged
in shady deal because of millions of naira that have exchanged their
hands from Titus and Isaka on behalf of Olaniyan.
The Petition letter reads thus; “Sequel to the report submitted to our
office on the sordid incident of the ignominious display of act of
indiscipline by aforementioned set of corrupt officials of the Ogun
State government, we are of strong notion that the anti-graft agency
intervention is imperative at this material time because on Monday 2nd
May, 2016, the Agbotejoye ruling house wrote a letter to the
Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs through
Ipokia Local Government area of the State where the name was nominated
to fill the vacant stool of Onihunbo of Ihunbo, based on the Ihunbo
Chieftaincy Declaration of 15th November,1956.
“Following the hanky-panky of the officials of the Ministry of the
Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, made the Agbotejoye ruling
house resort to legal option by filling the application before an
Ilaro Judicial division to reclaim their legitimate kingship title and
right and Agbotejoye has been strictly complied with the judicial
proceedings of the matter before they learnt that the Ministry
officials had illegally installed one Mr. Sunday Olamide Joseph
(Adesiyan) who has no blood relation with Agbotejoye ruling House in
defiance of judicial process by poking fingers into the eyes of the
law”.
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