Ado-Ekiti — The palace of Onisan of Isan, Oba Sunday Ajibaye was yesterday razed by suspected arsonists and properties including antiquities and other personal effects worth over N100 million were destroyed.

Apart from the main palace building burnt down by the hoodlums, they also set ablaze a Toyota Camry and Mercedes Benz E-Class cars belonging to the royal father on fire. Crowns and other palace antiquities were also burnt in the attack.

According to the monarch, who spoke on phone yesterday night, the assailants were three, two of them wore masks.

At press time, it is not clear what was the reason behind the attack, but sources linked the development to the fact that Isan-Ekiti is the hometown of the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and that the Onisan was solidly behind his "son" during the struggle.

THISDAY further gathered that the monarch was being victimised for the support he offered his subject in his bid to become governor.

Following the attack on the traditional ruler and members of his immediate family, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. John Ahmadu, had ordered the deployment of riot policemen to the community to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

The youths in the town had staged a protest against the declaration of Governor Segun Oni as the winner of the rerun governorship election as they claimed that Fayemi, their townsman, was robbed of victory in the last governorship rerun election conducted in 63 wards in the state.

In his reaction, the AC governorship candidate, Fayemi, who condemned the act described it as the height of PDP desperation.

While appealing to the people of the town, especially the youths, Fayemi called on security operatives to ensure that lives and properties of Ekiti residents are saved.