The Osun State Police Command has warned against a planned protest by suspected cultists over the killing of Accord Party chieftain and ally of Governor Ademola Adeleke, Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir.

The warning came amid social media mobilisation by members of the Aye Confraternity, who have given the police seven days to arrest those responsible for the murder of their leader or face a protest.

Emir was killed last Sunday in Ile-Ife during a peace meeting to resolve a dispute over leadership and control of a motor park in the Accord Party structure.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the command had received intelligence on a protest notice allegedly issued by a group identified as the “Congress of Cultists” and linked to the Neo-Black Movement, popularly known as Black Axe.

The police described the group as “faceless” and warned those planning to use the murder as an opportunity to cause chaos, disrupt public peace or engage in criminality to have a rethink.

The command said it would not allow miscreants to exploit the situation to threaten lives and property, adding that its operatives and other security agencies would respond decisively to any action capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.

The police said investigation into the killing had commenced and yielded useful leads, while some suspects identified in connection with the incident were still at large.

“Efforts are ongoing to track them down and bring them to justice,” the statement said.

The command appealed to members of the public with useful information about the killing to come forward, assuring them that their identities would be treated with confidentiality.

The police also urged those with grievances to seek lawful means of resolving them rather than resorting to violence, self-help or reprisal attacks.

Ojelabi noted that the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, appealed to parents, traditional and community leaders, religious leaders and other stakeholders to prevail on youths against participating in activities capable of destabilising the state.

The command urged residents to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding, while reporting suspicious movements and activities to the nearest police station or other security agency. (The Nation)