Wakili, others arrested by OPC; Police kicks up drama

Isikilu Wakili, the head of violent Fulani herdsmen believed to be terrorizing farmers and residents in the Ayete area of Ibarapaland, has been arrested alongside three of his men.

Men of the Oodua Peoples Congress undertook days-long recon and interdiction mission which led to the bust-up  Sunday morning.

Wakili and his clan have displaced famers, taken over swathes of land amid rising tension between farmers and herders in the area.

The OPC leader, Adedeji Oluwole, said the Wakili gang shot at them while the operation lasted, but they arrested the leader still.  No gun was retrieved during the operation.

The Fulani herdsmen, however, denied involvement in any violence. In a video the OPC squad released, Wakili himself sat wearily in the truck after his arrest, miming eye pain and body weakness.

Oluwole, why interviewing them, was told the gang leader just came back from Cotonou where he went went for treatment.

Onn handing him over to the police at Igboora, a drama ensued.

“The police said we should take Wakili to the hospital first which we refused because we are not in a position to do that. We told the police that they have been complaining all these days that they wanted to arrest Wakili and now we have brought Wakili to their doorstep, they should take over,” he told the Punch.

“Nobody touched Wakili; nobody hurt him. There are no traces of any hurt on him. He is an old man and we had promised the whole world that we won’t hurt them but we would arrest them for the whole world to see who is Wakili because all these while, he has been a faceless person, nobody knows him. We didn’t beat him or harm him. When we nabbed him, we put him inside a vehicle and handed him over to the police.

“The DPO then said he got a signal from the CP (Commissioner of Police) in Iyaganku.”

While he said the police took three of his men to Iyaganku now, apparently in detention, the Afenifere, while commending the OPC, said Oyo leaders intervened in the detention matter.