Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state has read the riot act to those in possession of illegal arms in the state asking owners of such illegal weapons to surrender them to relevant authorities. 

He gave the order shortly after receiving  report of the recent communal clash which left many injured and properties worth several millions of naira destroyed at Ipetumodu amd Ashipa communities in Ife North local council of the state. 

Aregbesola said those concerned and had been in habitual breach of the peace and trampling on the rule of law, to prepare themselves ahead of the May 29, hand over after which they would enjoy one week of grace which would be called a week of peace and disarmament.



This was even as the Governor disclosed that his government set up a Standing Commission of Inquiry in the state to regularly review all cases of abuse of power or status that might have tendency to threaten peace and harmonious relationship in the state.

The governor also urged politicians and people with those he described as  “private army and guards’’ to immediately disband such structures  stating that the state is entering an era where it would be strict on the maintenance of rule of law, peace and order. 

The communities of Ipetumodu and Ashipa had engaged in an orgy of violence and were on the path of mutual destruction before the intervention of law enforcement agencies, the state government and other notable leaders in the state.
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Aregbesola advised that differences on land should not lead to violence by communities due to the fact that there would always be claims and counter claims on land hence the need for a matured way of resolving such issues.


He said, “People with illegal weapons should voluntarily submit it to relevant authorities in not more than one week from now before government begins into fish them out. People should live to the dictate of the law, our government will after the one week ultimatum embark on house-to-house search for illegal weapons so that the state can have peace.



“Whoever is caught after the one week deadline will face the full wrath of the law because we are not in a stone age. The state will care for the weak. We are admonishing the strong to be mindful of those that are not strong.

“We are entering an era in the state and the country at large, where government of All Progressives Congress (APC) will be strict on the issue of rule of law, maintenance of peace and order and the guarantee of rights of citizens”. 


He urged  people of the state to at all times embrace the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) set up by thde government  to promote peaceful resolution of disagreement between parties. 

He also appealed to people of the state to eschew bitterness in their relationships and promote peace at all times, saying, Osun people should embrace the ethos of “Omoluabi” for which the state is known. 
 

The governor also directed that all market places in the state that encroach on the road must be moved away immediately.


“Markets are not supposed to be on the road though Local Governments have the right to close roads for market but market must not be struggling with vehicular movement”, he said.


Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Judicial commission of inquiry into Ipetumodu-Ashipa communal crisis, Justice Olajide Falola urged the governor to set up implementation committee to review the recommendations.


“There is a proliferation of arms and ammunition in the axis of the two communities. Those in possession are reportedly being protected by elites in the society. We have recommended that police should take steps to clean up the area of these dangerous weapons”, the commission chairman said