IFE CLASH: 8 SANs, several lawyers bombard Abuja H’Court today

By Dapo Akinrefon Eight prominent Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, and several other legal practitioners assembled by the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere to defend the 20 Ile Ife indigenes who were paraded by the Force Headquarters over the clash between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in the ancient town, will today approach Abuja High Court. The senior lawyers along side other legal practitioners will  file a motion for the enforcement of fundamental human rights for the suspects.

The legal team will file another motion urging the court to transfer the case to Ile Ife, where the state High Court possess jurisdiction to try the matter. This came as Afenifere leaders are expected to pay a solidarity visit to families of the suspects in Ile Ife on Wednesday after holding an emergency meeting at the Akure home of its leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti tomorrow. Speaking with Vanguard, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said the lawyers are already in Abuja and they have concluded plans “to file a motion seeking the fundamental human rights of the suspects and a transfer of the case to Ile Ife.”

While he refused to disclose the head of the legal team, Odumakin said “for now we have eight prominent Senior Advocates of Nigeria and several lawyers on the legal team and I can tell you that more lawyers are joining the team.” On the emergency meeting of Afenifere leaders in Akure tomorrow and the Wednesday visit to Ile Ife, the spokesperson said: “Afenifere leaders will converge in Akure on Tuesday for an emergency meeting to discuss the arrest and on Wednesday, move to Ile Ife to pay a solidarity visit to families of the detained suspects. ‘’Our visit is to encourage them and let them know that they are not alone.”

Recall that 38 people were arrested as a result of the Ife clash between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in ancient town but only 20 of them, including a traditional ruler, who were all Yoruba were paraded.