The Oyomesi, the kingmakers of Oyo, have filed a petition with the Federal High Court, alleging an unlawful attempt to arrest them on the orders of Governor Seyi Makinde.
Represented by their legal counsel, Kunle Sobaloju (SAN), the kingmakers submitted a letter to the court on Friday, raising concerns over what they described as a violation of their rights.
They claimed that law enforcement officers, acting on the governor’s directive, attempted to arrest them on Thursday despite an ongoing legal case.
The petitioners include Yusuf Akinade, the Basorun of Oyo; Wakeel Akindele, the Lagunna of Oyo; and Hamzat Yusuf, the Akinniku of Oyo.
According to reports, the Oyomesi had previously taken Governor Makinde to court, accusing him of using the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency to intimidate and harass them with threats of arrest.
In their lawsuit, they seek the protection of their fundamental human rights and an end to what they describe as a politically motivated witch-hunt.
Sobaloju said, “On the 13th of February, 2025, the respondents’ agents and policemen in mufti bombarded Oyo town in Oyo State vehicle with registration number 01A-289 OY to effect the arrest of our clients in utter disregard of the pending application before this court.
“When they did not meet them at home, they laid siege to their premises till 12am, clearly demonstrating their intent to arrest, detain, intimidate, harass and persecute them. A picture of the bus is attached herewith. It is trite law that when parties have submitted their dispute to court, none of the parties allowed to take law into his hands.
“The essence of this letter is to call the attention of the court to the ongoing threat of arrest, unlawful detention, and unlawful prosecution of our clients by the aforementioned agencies. We consider this continued harassment and intimidation a flagrant disregard for the authority of this Honourable Court and a serious interference with the due process of law.
“The timing of these actions, immediately following the service of court documents, raises serious concerns about their motivation and appears to be a deliberate attempt to undermine the proceedings before this Court.”