The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the surrender of arms in the warring communities of Ifon and Ilobu, after clashes between the two left three dead.
The governor gave the ultimatum after a stakeholders meeting on Thursday with leaders from Ifon, Ilobu, and neighboring towns of Erin-Osun and Okanla.
A 16-member conflict resolution committee was also established at the meeting.
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According to Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, the following resolutions were agreed upon at the security meeting:
“That any person or group of persons in possession of firearms and ammunition should surrender such ammunition within 24 Hours from today 1st February, 2024 to the nearest police or security formations;
“That the police authority in the state has been mandated to invite for interrogation, all those who made themselves available as chiefs or custodians of the disputed areas; A 16 man Resolution committee has been established by the Osun state government to sit and work out an amicable way(s) of settling the entire issues at stake;
“That the Committee is to submit its findings in two weeks time,with the 15th of February, 2024 given as the deadline.”
Alimi noted that the dusk to Dawn curfew earlier imposed on the communities remain active while security personnel comprising the army, police, civil defence are to ensure lasting peace in the communities.
Alimi added, “The Stakeholders meeting has resolved that anybody found with arms and ammunition in the area after the deadline should be arrested and prosecuted.
“Anyone or group of persons found or caught still instigating any further violence, to mortgage lasting peace being envisioned in the warring communities would be made to face the full wrath of the law.”