Boundary Demarcation: Stop Attacking Our Officials, Ekiti  Warns 

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

Following recurrent cases of attacks being suffered by government officials while demarcating boundaries in towns locked in land tussles, the Ekiti State Government has declared that it is illegal for anyone to harass officials while performing their statutory duties that are in the interest of the state.

Describing such unwholesome conduct as an affront on the state, the government, said perpetrators of such dastardly act would no longer be tolerated nor spared from sanctions.  

The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Monisade Afuye, handed down the warning yesterday while interfacing with stakeholders from Efon and Ipole Iloro Ekiti to settle the dispute arising over the ownership of Iwaji community.

In a statement that was signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, Mrs. Afuye recounted how members of the Boundary Commission Technical Committee dispatched to Iwaji community to delineate the boundary narrowly escaped being attacked by irate youth a couple of months ago.

Afuye said: “This was an affront on the state and we will no longer tolerate such. Our officials were experts trained to demarcate boundaries and they have always been impartial in all their duties.

“We want to appeal to our traditional rulers to always caution their members, particularly the youth on the need to caution themselves no matter how angry they are. It is wrong and illegal to beat up government workers or harass them while performing their duties.”

She appealed to the monarchs to always have confidence in government and officials sent to preside over land dispute and take time to control their youth against perpetrating violent acts.

Meanwhile, Afuye has directed that the technical committee, headed by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Mr. Abayomi  Opeyemi, to revisit Iwaji, to be able to ascertain the true ownership of the community between the two feuding towns.

In their separate submissions, the Alaaye of Efon, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare and the Olupole of Ipole Iloro, Oba Oladele Babalola, who laid claim to the ownership of the community, promised to cooperate with government for speedy resolution of the matter.

Also, the Alahun of Ahun Ekiti, Oba Jacob Adelowo, who is the monarch of the neighbouring town to the two warring communities, pledged his readiness to join the fray to settle the raging crisis in due course.