The Edo Commissioner of Police, Mr Lawan Jimeta has sued for peace in the crisis-prone Ologbo Community in Ikpoba-Okha Local government area of the state.
He made the peace overtures during a meeting with leaders of the community on Friday over the recurring crisis in the community.
Daybreak reports that Jimeta was accompanied to the meeting at Ologbo by top police officers in the command, including the Commander, Mopol 5, Benin, Mr Habib Mohammad.
The community comprised of the Bini and Itsekiri tribes.
Jimeta told the leaders that his major task was to ensure peace across the state,
“It is unfortunate that my first visit to this community is to broker peace, as peace had eluded the once peaceful community which have vast potentials for development.”
He described the recurring crisis in the community as sad, disheartening and inhuman, and urged them to learn to accommodate each other and settle their differences peacefully.
“No society can develop without peace. Crisis and unrest will prevent investors from investing and developing this community,” he said.
Jimeta lamented that crisis erupted few days he met with elders of the community in his office, during which all resolved to live in peace.
The police commissioner said that the Friday meeting with stakeholders in the community was to fashion out ways of ensuring not just momentary peace, but lasting peace in the community.
“It is essential for all to embrace peace in the community to ensure and sustain development in this community,” Jimeta said.
While responding to the various issues raised by stakeholders during the meeting, the CP said that he was in the community not to re-write the history of their forefathers, but to stem criminality.
“Crime is crime irrespective of who commits it.
“We are asking all of you that have lived together all these years to re-embrace peace and continue to live again in peace.
“We have arrested some persons in connection with crimes in the community and these persons have been charged to court.
“We will ensure that all those who are connected to crimes in the community are apprehended and brought to book.
“However, there is need for the tribes that make up the community to sit at a round table and resolve all frictions,” he stressed.
Earlier, the Divisional Police Officer in Ologbo, Mr Musa Baraya stated that the latest crises was started by youths from the palace of the Enogie, His Royal Highness Jackson Akenzua.
Baraya said the youths were the first to attack the Itsekiri youths as well as other youths in the community, an action which led to counter attacks by the various constituents that make up the Ologbo community.
He however appealed for patience and understanding from leaders of the community so that lasting solution could be found by security agencies.
Meanwhile, Mr Scott Omasan, President General, Iyasere Descendants, who spoke on behalf of the Itsekiri’s gave an assurance that his kinsmen would work with the police to restore peace in the community.
Also, Mr Bossi Joe, President, Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area appealed to the police to caution the Enogie over his utterances against the Ijaw people.
Daybreak reports that the Bini ethnic group did not attend the meeting.
Mr Friday Osazuwa, General Secretary Ologbo Dukedom told Daybreak explained that they did not attend the peace accord and security meeting because it coincided with the invitation to them by the Oba of Benin.
He assured that they were not against peaceful resolution of all contending issues in the community.
Osazuwa, however, said that leaders of thoughts were putting heads together to know what line of action to take next.
