Four OPC operatives allegedly in police custody for arresting Wakili

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By Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan

Men of the Oyo State Police Command have allegedly arrested four members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) for arresting the notorious herdsman, Iskilu Wakili, who has been terrorising residents of Ayete and its environs in Ibarapa area of Oyo State.

A top security source in the state, who pleaded anonymity, stated this to The Nation.

He said police authorities questioned the right and propriety of the OPC members to have arrested Wakili

A close aide of the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Gani Adams, also confirmed the arrest of the four OPC members, saying the group is watching the unfolding development with keen interest.

When contacted, Oyo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olugbenga Fadeyi, could not confirm the arrest.

He said he was not aware of the development.

He however wondered why the OPC men would arrest an individual, a duty reserve for security operatives, especially the police.

He said: “I don’t have any detail about such arrest. But the OPC are not the police. How can they arrest another person? I will find out to know what happen and where they have taken Wakili to.”

Wakili, who has been terrorising farm owners in Ibarapa communities in Oyo State, was reportedly arrested in the early hours of Sunday.

He has been linked with several nefarious activities, including seizure of hectares of farmland, rape and kidnapping rich indigenes in the area for ransom, among many other despicable atrocities.

He became more popular following the recent eviction of the Seriki Fulani of Igangan, Abdulkadir Saliu, by Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho at the height of the agitations against increasing activities of suspected killer herdsmen in Ibarapa area of the state.

Wakili reportedly mounted no-cross zone on farms, sending warnings to the indigenes of Ayete, even as often boasted that he cannot be evicted from the town.

Said to be speaking Yoruba Language fluently, he is the leader of herdsmen in the Ayete area of Ibarapaland, with dozens of herders as his disciples.

Together with his battalion of herders, he was alleged to have displaced farmers and forcefully invaded their farms with cattle and also shot farmers who trespassed into the no- cross zone he created.

Due to his alleged deadly atrocities, farmers could not harvest any crop as he and his team does all the harvests while the farmers have nothing to show for their efforts.

Wakili’s farm produces bountiful harvest and the local people buy his produce.

Confirming the arrest of Wakili, Kehinde Aderemi, Special Assistant on Media to Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, said: “Yes, he has been arrested by our team. You will get details later.”

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