A Magistrate Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of two individuals, Kayode Asa and Hezekiah Ilufoye, for allegedly defying a court order and disrupting public peace in the Ekosin community, located in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
The warrant was issued by Magistrate A. Adeyeba of Magistrate Court Five, Osogbo, following the duo's failure to appear before the court on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, as scheduled. The court action stems from allegations that the two men had unlawfully paraded themselves as traditional rulers and orchestrated unrest in the town.
According to the charge sheet, Asa and Ilufoye were earlier apprehended by officers of the Nigeria Police Force under the directive of the former Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Umar Abba. Their arrest, carried out by the Commissioner’s Monitoring Unit on May 29, 2025, followed multiple reports of civil unrest in Ekosin.
The duo was accused of inciting chaos by setting bonfires at various locations within the town and attacking residents who refused to address them as “Kabiyesi,” a royal title reserved for officially recognized monarchs. Their actions were said to have caused significant distress and disruption across the community and even extended to attacks in other parts of the state, particularly in Osogbo.
Investigations revealed that both men had previously expressed interest in ascending the Ekosin royal stool but were not selected by the town’s traditional kingmakers. Instead, the government of Governor Ademola Adeleke officially recognized Oba Kasali Omotayo as the legitimate monarch of Ekosin on November 13, 2022.
Despite being granted bail after their initial arraignment, Asa and Ilufoye failed to appear in court as required, prompting Magistrate Adeyeba to issue a bench warrant for their immediate rearrest. The warrant has been circulated to all police formations within and outside Nigeria.
"Anyone with useful information on their whereabouts should contact the Nigeria Police, Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit, or the State CID in Osogbo," the court order stated.
The situation continues to draw concern among residents and authorities as efforts intensify to maintain peace and uphold the rule of law in the traditional town.