Angry mourners at the Ede residence of Senator Isiaka Adeleke attacked and injured a prominent Ede indigene, Idiat Babalola, who is one of the commissioner-nominees of Governor Rauf Aregbesola for coming to pay her last respects to the departed politician.
The attack came just before Adeleke’s remains were buried at a grave dug beside the mosque built inside his country home in Ede.
Angry youths have been claiming that Adeleke, who was their benefactor, was poisoned at one of the social functions he attended within the state on Saturday.
They claimed that he ate just a piece of meat at one of the functions and that some APC leaders were behind his death in order to brighten the chances of an ‘anointed’ candidate, who they said would pick Babalola eventually as his running-mate.
The angry youths had, on sighting Babalola, who was seated among dignitaries, including the younger brother of the deceased, Deji Adeleke, demanded that she should be sent out of the compound.
The demand that Idiat be sent out was made in the presence of her father, Alhaji Sakariyat Babalola, who is the Deputy President, South, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. The angry youths insisted that she should be sent out or they would force her out.
Feeling that she did not want to yield to their demand, the youths started shaking the canopy under which the dignitaries were seated.
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, a former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and other dignitaries were all seated under the canopy when the angry mob collapsed it over them.
Deji Adeleke first protected Idiat in the hope that the youths would respect him but he was wrong.
Amosun, in company with some of his aides, had to personally shield Idiat, who was now visibly shaken, as the youths surged forward to hit her.
Her headscarf was removed by the crowd even as one of them jumped over Amosun’s shoulder to strike Idiat’s head while others started throwing sticks and stones at her.
She was eventually taken outside the gate and was driven away in a vehicle.
Earlier before the attack on Babalola, some of the youths had asked the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Fimihan Adeoye, to warn Aregbesola, his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori and all APC leaders against coming to the residence.
The commissioner appealed to the youths to be calm but our correspondent observed that neither the governor, nor his deputy was present at the burial.
Punch