Security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and various other security agencies were strategically deployed around the Chief Magistrate Court in Kwara State on Monday morning.
This heightened security presence was put in place in anticipation of the trial of Adegbola Abdulazeez, who is also known as Tani Olohun. He is not only an Isese (traditional religion) practitioner but also an activist.
SaharaReporters reports that no fewer than six police vehicles alongside armed officers were stationed at various locations within the court's environment, which was not the case during previous sittings.
The sudden appearance of security operatives may be related to the lingering controversies and uproar surrounding Tani Olohun’s matter, who is expected to be in court on Monday for a further hearing of his case.
The activist was accused of planning to start a war in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital by "inviting other traditional and idol worshippers to assemble in Ilorin on the 20th of August, 2023.”
He was also accused of burning the Quran and insulting some Islamic clerics.
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore had revealed how the Nigeria police arrested Tani Olohun with a fake warrant.
According to the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections, the police also asked the state government to allow them to prosecute the activist without the involvement of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
SaharaReporters had also reported how prison authorities in Kwara State denied family members and activists access to Tani Olohun.