Oba Adesuyi Haastrup, the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, has cautioned politicians working in his territory to refrain from violent crimes, especially murders connected to political activity.
The warning was given by Oba Haastrup on Tuesday during the inaugural Obokungbusi Hall of Fame induction event, which honors notable Ijesa indigenous people for their contributions to the world.
Speaking to participants, the traditional ruler conveyed his profound concern over what he called an alarming increase in politically motivated homicides in Ijesaland.
He said that incidents purportedly related to campaigns in advance of the upcoming August election had claimed the lives of at least three Ijesa men in less than a month.
He characterized the state of affairs as intolerable and a sign of a perilous trend toward lawlessness in the area.
“It is unconscionable for politicians to butcher my people like chickens while keeping their children overseas.
“You killed three of my sons in less than a month. How many more will you kill by August?” The monarch asked.
“Why will you turn Nigeria back to the barbaric age of the 1960s?” he asked, challenging the reasoning behind the violence.
The king issued a dire warning, threatening to deport any lawmaker found responsible for the deaths of Ijesa indigenous people.
“I will organize Ijesas to expel any criminal who becomes a politician and murders an Ijesa. It won’t occur under my supervision without serious repercussions since Ijesas are no chickens. He continued, “Enough is enough.”
Additionally, Oba Haastrup urged religious leaders in churches, mosques, and other traditional places of worship to encourage their people to become more vocal opponents of political violence.
The warning coincides with mounting worries about insecurity in Ijesaland, especially in Ilesa, where previous violent episodes have claimed lives.
Five suspected cultists were arrested, according to the Osun State Police Command, after competing groups engaged in a violent altercation in Ilesa’s Adeti neighborhood.
Residents were assured of ongoing security operations in the region by police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi, who said that efforts were underway to capture further suspects connected to the event.
