• Don’t politicise security issues, says govt
• Warring community pulls out of reconcilation committee
Against the backdrop of recent communal clashes in some parts of Osun State, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, yesterday, said that the governor, Ademola Adeleke, had lost grip on security in the state.
He noted that the spate of communal disputes over boundary issues in Ifon, Ilobu and the latest skirmishes regarding chieftaincy matters in Esa-Oke and Ido-Ajegunle, leading to the shooting of seven policemen and destruction of property indicate that the state governor had failed to live up to his billing as chief security officer of the state.
However, while responding to Basiru’s claims, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said the APC national secretary was only playing politics with security issues, describing such development as unfortunate and ridiculous.
Alimi further said that Adeleke was effectively in control of the state’s security, adding that there had been no threat to the lives and property of the citizenry.
He said: “It is quite unfortunate that Basiru is playing politics with this matter.”
Adeleke visited all these places and also constituted a panel of enquiry to resolve
Meanwhile, the governor has expressed sadness over the situation and assured residents that his administration would investigate the root causes of the crisis through a panel of inquiry.
Adeleke, who paid a condolence visit to Ido-Ajegunle and Esa-Oke towns following the violent communal crisis, and accompanied by the Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun; his Chief of Staff, Kazeem Akinleye, and heads of security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Nigeria Police, NSCDC, Amotekun, and local vigilantes, said: “There cannot be development in any community where violence thrives. Be rest assured that the state government will diligently investigate this matter, and anyone found culpable will face the full wrath of the law.”
He assured the residents of his government’s commitment to their safety, urging them to maintain peace and cooperate with the authorities during investigations.
However, moves by the governor to resolve the perennial boundary dispute between Ifon, Ilobu and Erin-Osun communities suffered a setback, yesterday, as Ilobu community withdrew its representatives from the 100-member peace committee constituted by the state government.
The community, while announcing its withdrawal, yesterday, accused the panel chairman, Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun and Co-chairman, Justice Adekunle Adeigbe (rtd) of compromise.
In a petition addressed to Adeleke and chairmen of the panel and others, dated February 4, 2025, which was signed by High Chiefs Jimoh Ashiru, Johnson Oladapo and three others, Ilobu people said the decision on inclusion of memorandum of Okanla family as part of document to be considered formed part of reasons for their pull-out from the panel.
