MIMIKO RECEIVES PANEL REPORT ON COMMUNAL CRISES

The Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko at the weekend received the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Arigidi Akoko and Imoru/Arimogija communal disturbances with an assurance that the state government would soon issue a white paper on the outcome of the probe.

The governor told the commission Chairman, Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye and his members during the submission of the report in Akure that the government was poised to finding lasting solution to the perennial crises in the communities, which he believed would be achieved with the implementation of the report.

'Matters of chieftaincy and ancillary issues are always complex and sensitive. I, therefore, want to reiterate that for us, the course of the law will not be hindered because of the sensitivity and emotional attachments of the people of the affected communities.

'We will not allow the report to stay on the shelf as government will soon come up with a white paper and actionable plans to bring lasting peace to the affected communities,' Mimiko assured. Submitting the report, Justice Adebusoye remarked that 'the commission carried out the assignment with transparency it deserved and we did not allow extraneous facts or factors to influence our findings and recommendations.

'This commission faced no interference, persuasion, molestation or inducement in whatever form from government or anybody for that matter and we declare that this report is product of our free thoughts and decisions.

Adebusoye added that since the affected people were now fed up with the perennial crises in their communities, they were already looking up to government to come out strongly with permanent solutions to the disturbances.

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry was set up and inaugurated by Mimiko in March to look into causes of communal disturbances at Arigidi Akoko in Akoko North-west and Imoru/Arimogija in Ose Local Government Areas respectively, which led to loss of lives and property.