The Ijagbe community in Mopa-Muro Local Government of Kogi State has rescinded the banishment order it placed one Tosin Ojuola, father of the five-day old baby abducted on April 11.
The traditional ruler of the town, Chief Amushin Adeleye, confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Thursday.
He said that the banishment of Ojuola from the community was lifted on May 14, saying that Ojuola was free to live in the community.
NAN recalls that Ojuola and his wife were banished from the community on May 7.
The monarch, who spoke through his son, Prince Oladele Adeleye, said that the community was leaving everything in the hands of God.
”Ojuola is free to stay in the community. We have left everything in the hand of God to judge the perpetrators of this heinous act,” Adeleye, who spoke on phone said.
Speaking on the development, Ojuola, confirmed the lifting of the banishment order on him and his wife, Shade.
Ojuola, who made the confirmation to NAN in a telephone interview said that his wife and himself were invited to a meeting, where the ban was lifted by the community leaders on May 14.
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He said that he received invitation to the meeting through his father on May 13 and that the community leaders had instructed his father to invite him and his wife for further questioning.
”My father called me on phone that same day and told me that the monarch wanted me and my wife to come back to the community the next day for questioning.
”I told my father that I could answer the questions on phone without coming back to the community but my father replied that the monarch insisted that I come back with my wife.
”On my arrival at the community, I went straight to the monarch’s palace to see him, and he prayed for me and told me that they just wanted me to return to the community,” Ojuola said.
He added that the monarch and the community leaders later that day, invited him and his entire family to the palace for a meeting at 4 p.m.
”At the meeting, they asked me what steps I had taken since I was banished from the community, which I explained to them.
”They also asked my wife if she has a man friend or may be, she has been having extra-marital affairs, but she told them no.”
Ojuola told NAN that the meeting lasted for over two hours, saying that it was after the meeting that the monarch announced that the ban had been lifted and that he and his wife were free to live and work in the community.
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He, however, expressed displeasure over the way and manner the community handled the issue of his child abduction by yet to be identified gunmen.
Ojuola accused the community leaders of insincerity.
”First, the community alleged that it was persons closer to me that abducted my child.
“Secondly, they said their oracle (Ifa deity) revealed that I had a hand in the abduction of my own child.
”And now, they have turned around to intimidate my wife to confess if she is having man friend or extra-marital affair.
”Are they saying my wife is wayward and that I am not the real biological father of my abducted five-day old baby or what?’’
He appealed to the police to speed up their investigation and unravel the mystery behind the baby’s disappearance.
”I am appealing to the police to speed up their investigation and expose the culprits behind my baby’s abduction. That is the only way I can be exonerated and redeem my tarnished image.”
Ojuola said that he would not go back to the community until his abducted baby is found and recovered from the abductors.
”I will not be able to associate freely in the community again until my baby is found to prove my innocence.
“I will have to leave the community until my abducted child is found,” Ojuola said.
On her part, Shade told NAN that she was innocent of the allegation of extra-marital affairs.
She insisted that Ojuola, her husband of 11 years is the true father of her five children and the true father of her abducted baby. (NAN)
