The Ogun State Government, on Friday, urged its Ondo State counterpart to caution its citizens encroaching on Ogun territory and launching attacks on indigenes in the communities bordering the two states.
Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, who doubles as the Chairman, Ogun State Boundary Committe, made this appeal in a statement issued in Abeokuta, the state capital.
According to her, the encroachment on Ogun communities comes with assaults on citizens, most especially residents of the Irokun kingdom in the Ogun-Waterside Local Government Area.
She also condemned the imposition of Princess Adeyinka Abejoye Ogunyemi, as a purported regent in the town in strong terms, describing it as illegal and an act of impersonation.
“Irokun, a kingdom in Ogun State has its traditional ruler, the Onirokun of Irokun, a member of our Ijebu Traditional Council. The current Onirokun, HRH, Oba Buari Olayinka Balogun, is the 8th Onirokun and has been on the throne since October 2007. Irokun is very pivotal to Ogun State and the state government will not fold its hands and allow criminals to overrun it,” she asserted.
Oyedele said she had discussed extensively with her counterpart in Ondo over the crisis and resolved that the status quo should remain and also wrote to the National Boundary Commission asking it to identify and demarcate the areas in contention, based on historical facts and data to lay the crisis to rest.
She added, “On no occasion will the Ogun State Government cede an inch of its land to Ondo State because of the activities of criminals who have been terrorising Ogun indigenes on their land, seeking to cause disaffection and instigate crisis between the two neighbouring states that share deep ethnic and historical links and whose governments have always collaborated to address issues of common concern.
“The deliberate attempt by these lawless individuals to stoke crisis will fail”
The deputy governor then assured residents of the area of adequate security, adding that the boundary issue between the two states would be sorted out.
She urged residents of the area to remain law-abiding while the government performs its constitutional responsibility of protecting them.
It would be recalled that in September last year, the Ogun State Government resisted plans by the Ondo State government to install traditional rulers in the Ogun communities of Irokun, Obinehin, Idigbengben, and Araromi seaside.
