Ogun State Governor with some security chiefs and traditional rulers during the inauguration of the committee

Adejoke Adeyeye/ Abeokuta.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has inaugurated a 20- man Peace Keeping Committee on Farmers- Herders Conflict.

It is headed former House of Representatives member, Kayode Oladele.

The committee members were given a charge to look into the remote and immediate causes of clashes and to find lasting solutions to crisis. Abiodun inaugurated the Committee at the Oba Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The governor also ordered the Ministry of Housing and that of Special Duties to within 24- hours rehabilitate all displaced persons and work out compensation for all victims of the skirmishes.

“Government believes with the Committee, what really happened to disrupt the peace of the areas will be made known because knowing what happened will prevent occurrences and how to solve it.

” You will ensure that the clashes do not happen again. But if it happens, you will know the steps to be taken. You will also look at any other matter that threatens peace in the State”, the Governor said.

The Committee, according to  the Governor has four weeks to carry out and submit its assignment, adding that it would be a standing one saddled with the responsibility of engendering peaceful co-existence in the State.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari was impressed with the methods adopted by the State government in addressing the crisis, stating that this has made the president  direct other states in the country to adopt the same template in resolving the farmers-herders crisis.

He said palliatives would given to all farmers and herders affected in the clashes, directing the Committee to liaise with the Ministry of Special Duties for seamless distribution, just as he directed the Ministry of Housing to provide accommodation to those whose houses were destroyed.

The State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, in an address noted that the Committee arose from a lot of brain storming on the part of government, adding that with its inauguration, the State was setting a standard in conflict resolution in the country.

In their goodwill messages, the Southwest Coordinator of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Kabir Muhammed, lauded  the State government for setting up the Committee. The representative of Fulani Youth in the State, Abumumuni Ibrahim also pledged the cooperation of his group towards finding lasting solutions to the clashes

Members of the Committee are; Jemili Akingvade, Abiodun Egungbohun, Commissioner of Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan,  Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Jamiu Omoniyi, Special Assistant to the Governor on Inter-Ethnic Affairs, Sani Hadi, Chairman, Imeko -Afon, Babatunde Davis, State Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Chief Segun Dasaolu and Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Olanite.

Other are; the Eselu of Iselu, Oba Ebenezer Akinyemi, Baale of Igbooro, Chief Bidemi  Akorede, a Community leader, Chief Egungbohun Deinde, Southwest Coordinator of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Kabir Muhammed and Alhaji Bashir Eggua.

Members of the committee pledged their commitment to meeting the terms of reference within the time frame allotted it.