By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
Crisis is brewing in Irokun, an Ogun State border community in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the State, as some elements from Ondo State are allegedly planning an installation of a traditional ruler within the Ogun State territory, ostensibly to annex the area.
The traditional rulers from the area led by Ojotunmoro of Abigi, Oba Ogunye and the monarch, whose kingdom was affected, Onirokun of Irokun, Oba Balogun called for urgent state presence in the border community to ward – off the invaders.
They noted that more infrastructural development in their domains would help prevent the invaders from carrying out the alleged plot to illegally foist an Ondo traditional ruler on their people.
The monarchs brought the security threats before the state lawmakers on Friday, during an inter- agency engagement held at the State House of Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
They commended the State Government through the Office of the Deputy Governor Noimot Salako Oyedele for the different interventions in the past on the same issue.
Responding, Speaker Oludaisi Elemide sought the immediate intervention of the State Government and security agencies to arrest the security concerns.
Speaker Elemide while seeking the deployment of more security personnel to the area; called on the State Government to extend its infrastructural development projects to the border communities to further take charge of the areas to checkmate unwarranted incursion into the boundary communities like Irokun.
He said that going by all evidence available, including land documentation and historical facts, Irokun remains a part of Ogun State.
According to the Speaker, the State Government had done tremendously well in the infrastructural advancement of the State, soliciting for the extension of the projects to all border and rural communities in the State to further prevent the invasion from neighbouring States.
He enjoined the State Police Command to take full charge of security measures in the area to prevent any illegal installation of traditional rulers from the neighbouring State on the Ogun State land; saying that such illegality could threaten the existing peace in the boundary communities.
Earler in his presentation, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Hamsat said that more infrastructural development within the boundary communities would ward off the incursion from the neighbouring State; while soliciting for more security presence in the communities.
On his part, the traditional rulers led by Ojotunmoro of Abigi, Oba Ogunye and the monarch, whose kingdom was affected, Onirokun of Irokun, Oba Balogun noted that more infrastructural development in the area would help prevent the invaders; thanking the State Government through the Office of the Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako Oyedele for the different interventions in the past on the same issue.
The meeting had in attendance concerned stakeholders including the officials from the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, led by the State Commissioner, Hon. Ganiu Hamsat, representative of the State Boundary Commission/ State Surveyor General, Surveyor Abodunrin Omotoso, the traditional rulers from Ogun Waterside led by Ojotunmoro of Abigi, Oba ( Barr) Olusegun Ogunye, the Commissioner of Police, represented by Assistant Commissioner of Police ( Operations) Olufemi Adaramola and the Onirokun of Irokun Kingdom, Oba Buari Balogun amongst others.
