Police invasion of Ashipa’s palace: IG orders removal of Oyo CP By AKEEB ALARAPE The Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar has ordered the removal of Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu over last week’s occupation of the palace and ancestral home of Ashipa of Oyo. Daily Sun had exclusively reported last week that 250 policemen, accompanied by two Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) stormed the Isale Oyo area of the town and sealed off the palace. Although nobody was arrested, women, children and owners of shops adjoining the palace were chased away by the security men while the personal vehicle of the head of Ashipa family and Alago of Ago-Oja, Chief Ganiyu Busari Ajiboye was taken away by the invading policemen. The IGP was said to have been embarrassed and infuriated by the action of his men, especially when there was no court order for such exercise. Reliable source within Oyo State command confided in Daily Sun yesterday that IG Abubakar immediately ordered the removal of CP Mbu, pending the time the hierarchy would consider what next to be done on his case. “As I am talking to you now, he is yet to be re-posted to any command. His action really embarrassed the IGP,” the source stated. Meanwhile, embattled head of Ashipa family, Alhaji Ganiyu Ajiboye has slammed a N1 billion suit on the IGP for illegal and unwarranted invasion and subsequent occupation of Ashipa palace, where he and his family lived. Joined in the suit were Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dasuki Galadanci; Oyo State Commissioner of Police; Executive Governor of Oyo State and Attorney-General of Oyo State. In the motion on notice, Ajiboye urged the court to order the defendants to pay the ‘sum of N500, 000, 000 as general damages against the respondents severally for psychological trauma and personal inconveniencies including loss of the use of his vehicle and arbitrary and illegal deprivation of his personal effects arising from the infringement of the applicant’s rights.’ He also pleaded with the court to grant an order ‘awarding the sum of N500, 000, 000 as aggravated damages against the respondents severally on account of crude methods adopted by the respondents, their arbitrary conduct, abuse of state powers and unwarranted intimidation.’ Ajiboye also sought the order of the court for the award of the ‘sum of N2, 000, 000 against the respondents severally as cost of damage to the applicant’s vehicle. in the course of forcefully towing the vehicle to Police Area Command, Durbah, Oyo.’ Ajiboye also demanded a public apology for the embarrassment caused him and his family as well as immediate action to unseal the palace. It was gathered yesterday that some police personnel were still sighted within the premises of the Ashipa ancestral home while shops already locked up due to the police invasion were yet to be re-opened.