On Tuesday, some hoodlums reportedly attacked the traditional ruler of Ode community, in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Sunday Boboye, destroying the palace.
The incident was reported to be the second time in one week. Some youths had allegedly burnt down the first palace of the monarch last week.
Boboye, after the youths’ attack, was said to have moved to the second palace, before he was allegedly attacked again on Tuesday.
An eyewitness explained that the hoodlums stormed the Ode community around 12 midnight, shooting discriminately while everyone was asleep.
After some minutes, they allegedly moved to the second palace of the monarch where they continued the shooting.
A resident, Ayodeji Agbebi, said the entire community was awoken when the hoodlums entered into the town and starting firing.
He said, “The boys came around past 12 in the midnight and started shooting. They were in this community till about 3am, but later the police came to disperse them. We could not sleep; it was a terrible incident. It was this morning that we saw that the palace had been destroyed.”
The traditional ruler said the attack was an attempt on his life adding that he and his family had to jump over the fence to escape being shot by the hoodlums.
“I want the IGP and other security agencies to order investigation into this matter. This is a clear case of arson, intimidation and attempt to kill me and wipe out my family,” he added.
Boboye however linked the attack to a court judgement which was on his favour over the ownership of land between his community and Isinigbo.
He disclosed that he had been attacked more than five times after the judgement, which he got in 2017 from the Court of Appeal.
“I have met with the people concerned over the judgement on the land issue and I gave them some terms, which they agreed to, but later turned back on the conditions.
“Among the conditions is that we asked those who had developed their land to pay N100,000, while those who had not developed their land to pay N150,000, which the parties agreed to, but now they want to take my life,” the monarch said.