Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Wednesday condemned the police investigation into the clash that occurred in Ile-Ife, which led to the death of 46 persons.
The clash was between some Yoruba and Hausa people.
However, the arrests made by the police was largely centered around Yoruba people.
Ogunwusi expressed displeasure over the development but has appealed for calm and understanding while the issues that arose are sorted out.
Ogunwusi said this when leaders of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, visited him on Wednesday on the crisis.
The Yoruba leaders, led by Chiefs Ayo Adebanjo and Old Falae, had expressed displeasure over the arrests.
But the Ooni told them to stop making inflammatory statements capable of causing further crisis in the country.
He said: “I want to implore everybody to exercise restraint because we all have family members all over Nigeria and even in other parts of the world.
“If we decide to be say things which could aggravate the situation, nobody knows what would be the end of any crisis, so we have to exercise patience.”
Obi Ogunwusi said he had told security agents to look into all the issues surrounding the clash, adding that everybody should be concerned about how to make sure that such a tragic clash never reoccurred.
Adebanjo had earlier accused the police of being behind the crisis.
He said the way they handled the crisis was the reason for its escalation.
He also berated the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for not being apologetic even when the force was accused of bias in its investigation into the clash.
He said: “We were surprised that such a tragedy occurred between those who had been living peacefully for decades without any clash.
“Even when there was a crisis amongst ourselves, they (Hausa/Fulani) were not affected.
“The police caused the crisis.
“The police who are supposed to be neutral were taking sides, especially the Inspector-General, who should be remorseful for the shoddy job done by his men, is justifying their actions.
“We are not against the arrest of the Yoruba people.
“Yoruba people were killed during the clash, their houses were burnt, their shops were looted.
“Is he saying that the Yoruba people who were killed committed suicide?
“The IGP should not think that Yoruba people are fools.
“Yoruba and Hausa people have been living together before he was born.”
