The Oyo State Government launched new efforts on Wednesday to resolve the longstanding boundary issue between Oorelope local government and Saki East Local Government.
The Government, who summoned a meeting between representatives of the two communities at the western hall, secretariat, Ibadan, also had in attendance Nigerian Police representative and other security agencies for a lasting solution into the persistence crisis.
During the meeting, the deputy governor of Oyo state, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Lawal, who doubles as the chairman of the boundary commission, commended the leaders of the two communities for not taking law into their hands.
He said by reporting whatever intrusion they encountered from neighboring communities showed that the two parties were ready for peace.
While commending the state’s Nigerian police for treating the matter with great seriousness, he noted that the boundary dispute has been in existence since 1960.
He added that inter-state boundary dispute and inter boundary dispute needed to be solved amicably as every responsible government would always want to avoid bloodshed.
The deputy governor, who noted that he had once addressed the issue recently, however said that the two communities are contagious as no one can really demarcate lands between the two communities.
According to him, my attention was recently drawned to the issue of demarcation and the office of the deputy governor has been handling the issue very carefully to prevent bloodshed.
While urging the two communities to maintain the spirit of living peacefully with one another as the matter was before government for a lasting solution, he reiterated that Oyo government will not be a party to boundary disputes in court.
He said: “It is a pleasure for me to welcome you all to this very important meeting with a view to putting heads together for further appropriate action in resolving the boundary disputes between Oorelope Local Government and Saki East Local Government.
“My attention was recently drawned to the issue of demarcation and the office of deputy governor has been handling the issue carefully to prevent bloodshed.
“So, on behalf of His Excellency, Seyi Makinde, I can assure you that we are doing everything possible towards the demarcation exercise, hence the need for you to exercise more patience on the task before us.
“Government would mobilize the office of surveyor general to carry out the land boundary demarcation exercise.
“Whoever between the two communities have documentary evidence to assist the surveyor general in respect to survey should make presentation.
“Finally, traditional leaders need to understand that the deputy governor’s office handles issues between two local governments, not within a local government.
Earlier in his remarks, the representative of Oyo Commissioner of Police, SP Olaolu Adedokun, who appreciated the deputy governor for calling the peace meeting, stated that the meeting will strongly indicate to other communities that the Oyo state government, led by Governor Seyi Makinde, is deeply concerned for the well-being of its people.
He added that the the Makinde-led administration has provided the Nigerian police with great support in their efforts to ensure that the good people of Oyo state live in peace, in addition to intervening in the out-of-court settlement of the boundary dispute between Saki East local government and Oorelope local government.
Adedokun equally commended the traditional leaders for calling their youths into order while pledging that the Nigeria police will keep playing its part to make sure that residents of Oyo State live in peace.