Ekiti shuts down all state courts as thugs beat up High Court judge

All courts in Ekiti state have been shut following the attack carried out on a judge in the state by thugs believed to be backing the governor elect, Ayodele Fayose. A statement signed by the State Chief Registrar, Obafemi Fasanmi, said that the Chief Judge of the State, A. Daramola had ordered that all courts remained closed until adequate security was put in place.

Thugs earlier today attacked Justice John Adeyeye, beating him up and ripping his clothes for being allegedly being rude to Mr. Fayose.

The pandemonium marred the day’s sitting by the Ekiti State Governorship Election petition Tribunal at the High court, Ado-Ekiti, as judicial workers abandoned their duty post and ran for dear lives.

Part of the statement reads: “The chief judge has noted with increasing concern the spate of attacks perpetrated by political thugs and their persistent presence in the premises of the high court Ado Ekiti in the past few days,”

The statement added that the attack on the court was the second of the week after thugs stormed another court in Ado Ekiti on Monday and attacked the judge, O. Ogunyemi.

Mr. Niyi Ajakaiye , a victims of the attack by suspected PDP thugs in Ado -Ekiti on Monday. Credit: Premium Times

It read further:“The sitting was disrupted and taken over. The judge was ferried to safety by police after he was threatened by the militants.

 “On Thursday, another set of thugs invaded the premises of a court presided over by J.O Adedeye by beating up and tearing his suit while police on guard looked unconcerned and uninterested as judges, magistrates, and other members of staff had to run for their lives while court properties were damaged.
“The court room of the Hon. Chief Judge was not spared the orgy in the orgy of assault and destruction as members of staff attached to his office were beaten up and his court record book torn into pieces by these political thugs who also invaded and disrupted proceedings at the election petition tribunal within the High Court premises in Ado Ekiti,” the statement said.

Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti governor-elect

According to witnesses, thugs believed to be pro-Fayose stormed the court premises as early as 6a.m. Miffed by the large number of thugs, Justice Adeyeye of High Court 3, reportedly approached Mr. Fayose and urged him to prevail on “his supporters” to keep a safe distance from the court premises.

Angered, Mr. Fayose was said to have shouted the judge down before about 20 of the thugs descended on Justice Adeyeye, beating him up and tearing his clothes, while his co-workers fled and shouted for help. Justice Adeyeye was later taken to a private hospital in Ado-Ekiti.