The Osun State Government has vowed to bring to justice those responsible for the recent arson attack on Court Room 2 at the Ilesa High Court.
The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, gave the assurance on Tuesday after inspecting the damaged facility alongside the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dosu Babatunde.
“It is more than barbaric, but anyway, justice will catch up with such persons very soon. It is a matter of time,” Jimi-Bada stated. “We are going to secure the court and start renovation.”
The attack, which razed the courtroom, has drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum, including Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Peoples Democratic Party, and the All Progressives Congress.
Jimi-Bada called for tighter security around court premises, recalling previous incidents of theft and arson. “This is not the first time. In 2017, Court Two was attacked and burnt. Last year, electric cables were carted away. All this nonsense has to stop,” he said.
He added that immediate renovation would begin, with engineers from the Ministry of Works already assigned to assess the site. “We will try to see what we can do with our 2025 budget. We need not wait for a judiciary memo—if we are waiting, no memo will be brought,” he remarked.
The commissioner emphasized that the court must not be left in disuse, saying, “We cannot abandon the court as the judge cannot sit. We have to also prioritise the security of this place.”
