Isese Festival: Court Summons IGP, Kwara Govt, Others over Detained Traditionalists

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the  Inspector General(IG) of Police, Kwara State Government, and the Kwara State Police Command to appear before it and show cause, why the detained Mr. Adegbola Abdulazeez. a.K.a Tani Olorun; Madam Efunsetan Abebi Aniwura Olorisha. a.k.a lya Osun and other traditional worshippers should not be unconditionally released.

Justice Akintayo Aluko, made the order yesterday while granting parts of the request in a motion ex-parte filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje.

Others affected by the order are: Registered Trustees of Council of Ulama (Islamic Clerics); Justice Salihu Mohammed (Executive Secretary of Council of Ulama); Sheikh (Dr) Mohammad Bashir Saliu (Chief Imam of Ilorin and Chairman of Council of Ulama); Alfa Abdulsalam Baba Tonile Okuta-Agidi; Kwara State Magistrates Court, Ilorin, and Nigerian Correctional Service, Ilorin, Kwara State, listed as third to nine respondents.

Ogungbeje, in a fundamental rights enforcement suit numbered FHC/L/CS/1674/2023, is praying the court for eight reliefs and declarations.

The applicant is praying the court for “an interim order restraining the respondents jointly and severally, whether by themselves, their agents, officials, servants, privies, officers and/or howsoever called from arresting, detaining, harassing, embarrassing, humiliating, interfering, disrupting, disturbing and further violating the rights to freedom of religion, thoughts and conscience of traditional religion adherents and worshipper and faithful enshrined in section 38 under Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) as it relates to the planned ISESE cultural Festival to be celebrated in Ilorin, Kwara State or any other cultural festivals in connection with the facts of this case pending the hearing and determination of the substantive Originating Summons filed before this Honourable Court.

“An order of the court compelling the first, second respondents to provide adequate and maximum security arrangement and cover for traditional religion adherents and faithfuls pursuant to the rights to freedom of ‘religion, conscience and thoughts enshrined in section 38 under Chapter !V of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) as it relates to the planned ISESE cultural Festival in Ilorin, Kwara State or any other cultural festivals in connection with the facts of this case pending the hearing and determination of the substantive Originating Summons filed before this Honourable Court.

“An interim order of the court compelling the ninth respondent (Nigerian Correctional Service, Ilorin, Kwara State) to unconditionally release Mr. Adegbola Abdulazeez. a.K.a Tani Olorun and Madam Efunsetan Abebi Aniwura Olorisha. a.k.a lya Osun from their custody forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons.

“An order of this Honourable Court granting leave to the Applicant to Serve  the Originating Summons and other accompanying processes filed in this suit on the 5”, 6” and 7 Respondents through the 4” Respondent at Chief imam’s office, Ilorin Central Mosque, Oja-Oba Market, Omu-Aran Road, ilorin, Kwara State.

“An  order deeming the service on fifth, sixth and seventh respondents as good, personal and proper service.

“An order of the court granting leave to the Applicant to serve the Originating Summons and other accompanying processes filed in this suit on the eighth respondent through the third respondent at Attorney General’s Chambers, Attorney General of Kwara State and Commissioner of Justice, Kwara State Ministry of Justice, Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin, Kwara State.

“An order deeming the service on eighth respondent as good, personal and proper service.

“An order that all parties especially the 8th Respondent in this suit to maintain status quo and refrain from taking any action or step in any manner or further court proceedings against the Mr. Adegbola AbdulAzeez. a.k.a Tani Olorun and Madam Efunsetan Abebi Aniwura Olorisha. a.k.a lya Osun pending the hearing and determination of he substantive suit as filed before this Honourable Court.”Justice Aluko after listening to the lawyer, who moved the motion exparte and supporting 46 paragraphs affidavit deposed to by the lawyer held that: “upon listening to the counsel who is the applicant in this suit, reliefs four, five, six and seven are grantable, and are thereby granted.”

The judge Thereafter ordered that hearing notice be issued to all respondents to appear before the court and show cause while other reliefs one, two, three and eight, should not be granted.

Further hearing of the matter has been adjourned to September 9.