By Duchess Ifeoluwa
In a decisive response to recent unrest, the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has inaugurated a six-member Panel of Inquiry to investigate the violent communal crisis that erupted in Ugbonla, a town in Ilaje Local Government Area.
The conflict, rooted in disputes over traditional leadership, has claimed at least one life and resulted in the destruction of properties, sparking widespread concern across the state.
In a statement issued by Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor on Tuesday, Aiyedatiwa, while expressing deep concern over the tragic events, tasked the newly constituted panel with unravelling both the immediate and underlying causes of the hostilities between the Ugbo and Ugbonla communities.
The panel is also expected to scrutinise the roles played by individuals and groups in fuelling the conflict, either directly or indirectly, and to identify those who may have instigated or sponsored the violence.
The panel, according to the statement, is chaired by Justice Sunday Olorundahunsi, with other members including Justice Orimisan Okorisa, Primate Afolabi Aboyewa, Honourable Hamidu Takuro, Barrister Yinka Orokoto, and Mr Dele Adesanmi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who will serve as the panel’s secretary.
Governor Aiyedatiwa outlined the panel’s mandate to not only investigate the crisis but to offer actionable recommendations aimed at preventing a recurrence of such disturbances in the future.
He called on the members to approach the assignment with integrity and dedication, urging them to deliver their report within a six-week timeframe.
Emphasising the importance of impartiality, the governor instructed the panel to carry out its work without fear or favour.
The governor also appealed to residents of the affected communities to maintain peace and cooperate fully with the panel to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation.
His administration, he said, remains committed to upholding law and order while safeguarding the rights and traditions of all communities within the state.
