Ondo cautions traditional rulers against using royal residences as makeshift prisons

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The Ondo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olukayode Ajulo, has warned traditional rulers against turning their palaces into courts or detention centres.

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Ajulo gave the warning on Wednesday in Akure at a three-day workshop organised for traditional rulers by the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

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The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the workshop has the theme, “Repositioning the Traditional Institution for Harmonious Communal Relationship, Security, Cultural Preservation and Sustainable Development.”

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He charged traditional rulers to exercise their authority within the confines of the Constitution and the law.

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Ajulo said contemporary traditional rulers operated within a constitutional democracy and must understand the distinction between customary authority and powers reserved by law for the courts, police and other statutory institutions.

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He said the Constitution did not establish the office of traditional rulers as a “fourth arm of government”, but recognised the role traditional institutions could play in local governance and community development.

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According to him, traditional rulers should see themselves primarily as custodians of history and culture, symbols of communal identity, peace-builders, mediators and community mobilisers.

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He added that the traditional institution was not an alternative court or government institution.

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Ajulo warned traditional rulers against turning their palaces into detention centres or criminal courts, stressing that alleged criminal conduct must be handled by legally authorised law enforcement institutions.

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“An Oba should not order the indefinite detention of a person because that person is accused of stealing, insulting the palace, owing money, violating a community rule or participating in a dispute,” he said.

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He urged traditional rulers to identify criminal conduct, preserve peace, provide information and cooperate with the appropriate authorities instead of investigating, detaining or punishing suspects themselves.

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He also emphasised the importance of fair hearing in traditional administration, saying a traditional ruler did not lose dignity by listening to both sides of a dispute.

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Ajulo encouraged traditional institutions to embrace mediation and customary arbitration where appropriate, adding that such processes must be voluntary and clearly distinguished from judicial adjudication.

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He also cautioned traditional rulers against using customary authority as a licence for self-help, particularly in cases involving alleged land grabbing, intimidation, forceful entry or illegal occupation.

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He advised traditional institutions to preserve peace and refer such matters to the appropriate statutory authorities, including the Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force where applicable.

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Ajulo urged traditional rulers to strengthen their role in the state’s security architecture by providing credible community intelligence to the government and security agencies.

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