Following communal clash between Illofa and Odo-Owa, the two adjoining communities in Oke-Ero local government area of Kwara state, government has suspended the salaries of the two monarchs who are the traditional leaders of the two communities for three months.
The traditional rulers whose salaries were suspended are Oba Samuel Niyi Dada, the Alofa of Illofa and Oba Joshua Adeyemi Adimula, the Olota of Odo-Owa in Oke-Ero local government area of Kwara state, and the government declared that their salaries were to be forfeited for three months.
The resolution was reached by the State government at the State’s Executive Council after considering the White Paper submitted on the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to ascertain veracity or otherwise and damages caused by communal clash between the two communities.
Mohammed Haruna Tambiri, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affair, while briefing newsmen after Council’s meeting, said the State government had also restricted the movement of both monarchs to their domains throughout the three months period.
The Commissioner, who explained that the Council also banned the monarchs from attending any official function during the period, said: “both the Alofa of Illofa and Olota of Odo-Owa salaries hereby suspended for three months.
“During the period of 90 days, they are restricted, and should not travel out of their domains without permission of TIC Chairman and they are not to attend any traditional activities nor government programmes”.
Also speaking during the Press briefing, Mahmud Babatunde Ajeigbe, Commissioner for Information and Communications, added that the Council also directed Iloffa-Odo-owa common central market should henceforth be used only for commercial purposes, saying: “The market has been banned for any cultural or religions activities.”
Meanwhile, the Executive Council also directed the State’s Ministry of Justice to commence prosecution of identified perpetrators of the violence during which lives were lost and properties destroyed.
This, acording to Muideen Akorede, Senior Special Assistant to Governor on Media and Communications added that the Council also directed Isiaka Gold, the Secretary to the State Government, to write the State Commissioner of Police to commence immediate mopping up of fire arms in both communities to forestall a reoccurrence of violence in the area.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
