Governor Dapo Abiodun has inaugurated a 20-man Peace Keeping Committee on Farmers-Herders Conflict in Ogun State with a charge on members to look into the remote and immediate causes of the clashes and find lasting solutions to it.
Abiodun said there is a nexus between peace and development, explaining that no meaningful development could be achieved if clashes like that of the farmers and herders were allowed to continue.
The Committee is chaired by a former House of Representatives member, Hon. Kayode Oladele.
The governor said the state government was hopeful that the Committee would unravel activities that always lead to the farmers/herders crisis in the State, particularly at Yewa axis.
He spoke while inaugurating the Committee at the Oba Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on Saturday, stressing that the State seeks to become number one in Internal Generated Revenue in the country and require peace to achieve that.
He also ordered the Ministry of Housing and that of Special Duties to rehabilitate all displaced persons within 24 hours 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 saddle 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.
Speaking on behalf of other members of the Committee, a member of Ogun State House of Assembly from Imeko Constituency, Hon. Jemili Akingbade, lauded the governor for his timely intervention in settling the dispute. He assured that the committee will live up to its expectations by diligently carrying out its terms of reference.
Other members of the Committee are; Hon. 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, Hon. Babatunde Davis, State Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Chief Segun Dasaolu and Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Olanite.
Also included 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.
