MON 15 FEB, 2021-theGBJournal- The Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Afolabi Afuape, says the state government is looking at ways to finding a lasting solution to the farmers/herders clashes in the State.
Speaking Monday at the palace of Olu of Ilaro alongside a delegation of top ranking government officials, the Commissioner said the state government is not happy at what is going on in this ‘’part of the state and have come on the instruction of the State Governor to see what can be done to address the crisis.’’
Top government officials as well as security agency officials were sent to the areas affected by recent clashes as a ‘’confidence building mission’’ embarked upon by the government recently to help stem the tide of the ‘’national problem.’’
‘’I must stress the need for peaceful co-existence among all our people irrespective of where you come from,’’ the Commissioner told the Ilaro indigenes at a town hall meeting with stakeholders, adding that ‘’though the crisis is a national issue, government is putting security plans in place to secure the lives of our people in this area.’’
He stressed the need for the people to be vigilant by reporting strange faces and movements to the security officials, as government could not afford crisis in any part of the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Abdulwaheed Odusile also addressed the indigenes at the stake holders meeting and appealed to them to not take laws into their hands, ‘’but to allow the security agencies and the traditional rulers to handle the situation.’’
He called for peaceful co-existence among the people from other ethnic groups and the indigenes.
The Oba of Ilaro at the same time called for immediate setting up of Amatekun Corp (the local/regional police force) in the state and asked that the traditional rulers in the area should be involved in selecting its operatives who know their different terrains.
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