Land Dispute: Be Fair To All Parties, Akeredolu Tells Panel

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

Following the eruption of the violent clash between the people of Araromi Obu and Ikale(Ago-Alaye) which resulted in loss of lives and wanton destruction of properties over land dispute, the Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on Monday inaugurated a panel of inquiry to look into the crisis.

Akeredolu while inaugurating the panel asked the panel, led by Mr. Tunde Atere, to be dispassionate, courageous, just and fair to all parties in the dispute.

According to him, the panel represented the highpoint of his determination to resolve the needles crisis, as well as prevent recurrence.

It would be recalled that immediately after the violence, the governor swiftly mobilised armed security personnel to the scene.

He also imposed a 24-hour curfew on Ago Alaye to stem the crisis from festering.

This was besides the governor’s on-the-spot assessment of the area to deepen his understanding of the issues in question.

But inaugurating the panel of inquiry in his office, Governor Akeredolu once again condemned the crisis and described it as avoidable, most undesirable and needless.

He expressed hope that the inauguration of the panel would provide a lasting solution to the crisis.

According to him, the state government will continually display the readiness, willingness and capacity to resolve crisis notwithstanding who is involved.

He said: “The land dispute involving both communities which resulted in the loss of lives and the wanton destruction of properties shall not be overlooked.”

Telling the panel members that the permanent resolution of the land dispute, to a large extent, begins and ends with them, the governor gave the panel the following terms reference: to look I to the remote and immediate causes of the land dispute; to determine the extent of damage done to private and public properties.

Others are to recommend to the state government appropriate ways of settling the dispute and to make other recommendations which the panel may find necessary.