Ekiti State Government has again warned residents of border towns to sustain the spirit of peace and brotherhood with their neighbours.It said the state could not afford to engage in any violent land dispute with other sister states.

The Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, gave the warning in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, during an interface with selected traditional rulers in Ekiti South Senatorial District, whose towns share inter-state boundaries with Ondo and Osun states.

Afuye, while addressing community leaders, represented by the Permanent Secretary in her office, Abayomi Opeyemi, reiterated that Ekiti could not afford crisis with its sister states of Ondo and Osun, saying all contending land issues raised by the monarchs will be zealously handled for peace to reign.

She urged the monarchs to continually foster strong and peaceful relationships with their neighbours, describing this as the best way to avert insurrection and killings of people at the hinterland.

“We noticed that we have been having challenges with our neighbouring states in recent time. On April 26, 2023, we were invited to Abuja by the National Boundary Commission and it was there we realised that six local councils of Ekiti shared boundaries with Ondo State.

“We were mandated at the meeting to look into all the contending land issues and resolve them amicably. We knew that some were in cordiality with the neighbours while some are just tolerating themselves and these challenges are majorly on land disputes.

“With what we have been able to collate from you today about the challenges people are facing at the borders, when next we meet in Abuja, we will be able to present them for speedy resolution.”

“The government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji is peace-loving. It is only when we have peace that we can develop. We want to have good relationship with our neighbours. We don’t want inter-state clashes that can cause bloodshed and crisis,” Afuye said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Ayekire Local Council, Ayodele Fadumiye, while applauding the government for the peace-building initiative, said efforts must be speedily stepped up to safeguard the lives of those at the border towns.

Fadumiye particularly frowned on the persistent attacks being suffered by some farmers in Egbe-Ekiti in the hands of those he described as land grabbers from a particular town in Ondo State.

In his submission, the Onimesi of Imesi-Ekiti, Oba Olatunji Olatunde, said the abandoned sprawling forest reserve from Agbado-Ise-Imesi to Ondo border area had become a potential danger for encroachment, warning that the axis is gradually turning into a safe haven for intruders.

The monarch said the forest allegedly being deployed for cannabis sativa cultivation by unscrupulous elements must be returned to original landowners for agricultural purpose.