The Elegbedi of Egbedi, Oba Muideen Azeez, was on Monday arrested within the premises of the Osun State High Court in Ede and subsequently remanded in custody following the execution of a bench warrant issued by the court.
The monarch was taken into custody shortly after proceedings before Justice L.O. Arojo, when operatives of the Police Prompt Response Unit, who had been stationed outside the courtroom, moved in to effect his arrest.
He was later conveyed to the correctional facility in Ile-Ife in compliance with a court order directing his detention pending further proceedings.
Court records indicated that the bench warrant, issued on May 18, 2026, was based on the alleged failure of the monarch and one Kabiru Raheem to appear before the court in a separate criminal matter instituted by the Osun State Government.
Justice Arojo was said to have ordered their arrest after the defendants failed to attend proceedings despite being represented by counsel. The court also directed that they be remanded and produced before it on June 5, 2026, while their sureties were asked to show cause.
The monarch is facing multiple criminal allegations across separate suits, including charges bordering on arson, armed robbery, and destruction of farmland and crops.
In one of the cases before Justice Kudirat Akano, the defendants, including the monarch and four others, were accused of offences allegedly committed on September 3, 2019, at a farm in Oloba within the Ede Judicial Division.
Prosecutors alleged that the accused persons, armed with firearms and other weapons, robbed women processing palm oil of about 70 kegs of palm oil, palm kernel, palm fruits, goats and other livestock valued at about ₦10 million.
They are also accused of arson and destruction of farmland and crops valued at over ₦200 million.
In a separate charge filed by the Osun State Government, the defendants are accused of forcefully entering a farmland in Iloba and destroying economic trees and crops, including cashew, cassava and maize, with damages estimated at over ₦17 million.
The prosecution further alleged that quarry activities were carried out on the disputed land, leading to further environmental and agricultural destruction.
At Monday’s proceedings, defence counsel, M.A. Atobatele, presented additional witnesses, including three police officers and the palace secretary, in continuation of the defence case.
However, shortly after adjournment, security operatives moved in to execute the arrest warrant.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the arrest was carried out strictly in line with a valid court order.
“The arrest and remand were based on a court directive. Operatives acted on a valid warrant issued by the court,” he said.
The monarch remains in custody pending further hearing of the case.
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