No fewer than 10 hoodlums, armed with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons, invaded the Palace of Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State and brought down the palace on Saturday.
DailyPost gathered that the invasion of the palace was a reprisal by the hoodlums, who wanted to revenge the death of one of them.
According to a source, some of the thugs had earlier invaded Ilaje High School in the town, where an inter school quiz and sport competition was disrupted on Friday.
DailyPost had learnt that two of the hoodlums were arrested and taken to the palace, where they were handed over to the police.
Oba Odidiomo alleged that the attack on his palace was masterminded by a prominent Monarch in the area.
He traced the genesis of the attack to some few months after his installation, when Amepetu of Mahin installed two people within Igbokoda as Baale and Oloja.
The monarch explained that he frowned at the development since the two chiefs lived within his domain.
He claimed that Amapetu allegedly ordered some boys, known as ‘Mahin Task Force’, to provide security for the two chiefs.
He said, “I reported the development to Olugbo of Igboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, who promised to wade in the matter.
“There was also a parcel of land within Igbokoda, which was sold to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs at about N64m without my knowledge.
“I sent a petition to the ministry on the issue. A group of boys shot into my room through the window last year in an attempt to eliminate me.”
The Amapetu could not be reached for comments but one of his chiefs in the kingdom, Chief Francis Mesagan, described the attack on Olu’s palace as unfortunate.
The Chief said, “Oba Omowole of Mahin kingdom single-handedly installed Odidiomo as the Monarch of Igbokoda and will not be party to destroying the house he built.
Mesagan alleged that the discovery of a boy’s corpse in a river around the community, ignited the attack on Olu of Igbokoda’s palace by the people of the community and not from external forces, as claimed by the Odidiomo.
But Oba Odidiomo maintained that the plot was hatched outside Igbokoda.
He said, “This is part of a sustained activities to rubbish me. Last November, they shot at me right in my bedroom.”
However the Public Relations Officer of the state command, Mr. Wole Ogodo confirmed the attack on the Olu of Igbokoda and the destruction of his palace.
Ogodo said, apart from three people, who were arrested on Saturday, additional five people were picked up on Sunday.
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