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Suspended Traditional Ruler Lands in Court for Assaulting Elderly Victim

opera.com 2025/2/17

The Ogun State Police Command has taken legal action against the suspended traditional ruler, Semiu Adewale Ogunjobi, known as the Olorile of Orile Ifo. He was brought before the court on Tuesday for allegedly attacking a 73-year-old man, Elder Abraham Areola.

According to a Vanguard report, the suspended monarch faced three charges: conspiracy, assault, and conduct that could lead to a public disturbance. Muyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson for the police force, confirmed that Oba Ogunjobi pleaded not guilty. As a result, the court granted him bail under lenient conditions, requiring him to provide N5 million and two sureties who could guarantee the same amount. The court scheduled the hearing for March 6.

This legal trouble comes just a day after the Ogun State government, in cooperation with the Egba Traditional Council, announced his suspension. Oba Ogunjobi, who previously served as a police officer, was caught on camera physically attacking the elderly man. Although the video did not capture the faces of others involved, it showed the monarch taking part in the assault.

In the footage, he accused Elder Areola of betraying him in a matter involving someone named Wasiu. While berating the elderly man, he also issued a chilling threat, saying that if the man died during the ordeal, he would ensure that there would be no trace of his body.

Initially, Oba Ogunjobi denied being the person in the video. However, according to the Committee for Human Rights, he later admitted his involvement when questioned at the Eleweran headquarters of the Ogun State Police Command.

In an apparent attempt to make amends, the monarch was reportedly offering the victim a piece of land. Additionally, sources revealed that he had been using his past position as a police officer and the influence of his wife, who is also a police officer, to intimidate people and create unrest in the Orile Ifo community.

The case has attracted widespread attention, with many people calling for justice for the elderly victim. The viral video has fueled public outrage, leading to the swift suspension of the traditional ruler.

As the court proceedings continue, residents and human rights groups are closely monitoring the situation, hoping for a fair outcome.