ADO EKITI, NIGERIA – Ekiti State Chief Judge, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye, narrowly escaped death on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, when a section of the state high court complex collapsed, trapping him in his office.
The harrowing incident occurred close to the end of the workday, with Justice Adeyeye still in his chambers.
The exact cause of the collapse remains unclear, but initial reports suggest that structural deficits exacerbated by recent heavy rainfall could be to blame.
Although there were no reported fatalities, Justice Adeyeye was seriously injured by the collapsing structure.
“Justice Adeyeye sustained serious injury as a section of the office collapsed on him,” said an eyewitness who preferred to remain anonymous.
The process of rescuing the Chief Judge from the rubble was fraught and painstaking. Workers at the court complex made considerable efforts to extract him from the debris.
Following his rescue, Justice Adeyeye was rushed to an undisclosed hospital within the state where he is currently receiving medical treatment.
A visit to the office of the court registrar to seek further details on the incident was fruitless.
The registrar, through a staff member, asked the reporters to return at a later time.
The collapse of the high court complex has sparked concerns about the safety and maintenance of public infrastructure in the state.
It remains to be seen what measures the Ekiti State Government will take in response to this incident to safeguard the lives of public officials and citizens alike.
Ekiti APC Chairman, Paul Omotosho, Kidnapped
The chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State, Paul Omotoso, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on Saturday, July 8, 2023, while driving along Agbado Ekiti – Imesi Ekiti Road, according to party officials.
Segun Dipe, the APC State Publicity Secretary, confirmed the abduction on Saturday, July 8, 2023, stating that Omotoso was alone in his Venza car when the incident occurred.
“The chairman was driving along the road when the bandit shot at one of the tyres of the car. He was taken into a Toyota Hilux van and driven off. He was alone in the car when the incident happened, according to the information we have,” Dipe reported.
He added that the incident happened in the evening, and the party received the information around 6 pm.
The police and local security agencies, including Amotekun, a Western Nigeria Security Network, have been alerted and are currently working on the case.
When reached for comment, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Ekiti State Command, Sunday Abutu, stated that he was awaiting confirmation of the details of the incident.
“I will get back as soon as I get the confirmation,” Abutu said.
The kidnapping marks a stark escalation of insecurity in the state, raising concerns about safety among politicians and the public alike.
The authorities have yet to identify the kidnappers or their motives.
