LAGOS/Nigeria: The Lagos State Police Command has taken into custody a man identified as Adeniyi Illo following a petition alleging that he unlawfully presented himself as the Olu of Ikeja.
The arrest followed a petition received by the police on July 28 from the Association of African Traditional Religion, Nigeria and Overseas, through a covering letter endorsed by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, according to a police source.
The petition alleged conspiracy, impersonation and conduct capable of causing a breach of peace. It was subsequently referred by the Lagos Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, for investigation.
The source said the petition accused Illo of proclaiming himself the “New Olu of Ikeja” and alleged that he had been installed at a ceremony where he was presented with a beaded crown and other traditional regalia associated with a Yoruba monarch.
The police source said the alleged installation did not have the authorisation of the Lagos State Government, prompting the investigation into whether the development amounted to impersonation of the traditional ruler of Ikeja Kingdom and could potentially affect public peace.
The matter was assigned to the General Investigation Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos, under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dayo Akinbisehin.
According to the source, detectives invited Illo to appear before them on several occasions, but he allegedly failed to honour the invitations.
Investigators subsequently obtained a warrant for his arrest, leading to his eventual apprehension and detention, the source said.
The police said the investigation was continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged installation and the claims contained in the petition.
Illo is assisting the investigators, according to the source, who added that he would be charged to court if the police establish a case against him after completing the investigation.
The development comes against the backdrop of longstanding disagreements surrounding the traditional stool in Ikeja. In 2022, Chief Adeniyi Illo was publicly identified in reports as the Oluwo of Ikeja Land and was among traditional stakeholders who spoke during a dispute over the selection of a candidate for the Olu of Ikeja stool.
The police investigation is therefore expected to establish the precise circumstances surrounding the latest claim, including the identity and authority of those allegedly involved in the purported installation.
