Peace has finally returned to the deserted Babanla community in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara State, after several months of ceaseless banditry.

Scores of residents abandoned their ancestral homes in deaperation while men of security agencies seized the entire community and its environs.

Consequent upon the gradual return of the residents, the community’s development association, stakeholders and the National Transition Implementation Committee, at the weekend, met to review various critical issues on peace, security and general development in Babanla especially over the last one year.

After the meeting, a communiqué was issued in which they noted and expressed satisfaction with the general return of peace and security to the community.

According to a copy of the communiqué, they also expressed happiness that many of the people who left the town at the peak of the crisis have returned and are now back and have resumed their various businessee.

The people commended the security agencies deployed to the town “for their professionalism and proactiveness in handling the security issues in the town thus guaranteeing peace and security of life and properties.”

The meeting passed a vote-of-confidence on the Transition Executive Committee (TEC) and commended the Chairman and members for the good jobs they have done in a short period of their inauguration.

It then gave overwhelming approval for the plan of action presented and enjoined the Executive to work with serious commitment and urgency to ensure that the programme especially as they relate to installation of solar pump and reticulations of pipes to designated areas, financial assistance for youth activities and vigilantes are all achieved.

Meanwhile, the meeting, also, appealed to all indigenes to refrain from utterances that demarket the good name of the community through spreading false information.

The meeting, signed by Mallam Lookman Yusuf, commended the Oba-in-council for their resilience during turbulence; Prince and princess Forum for their contributions for stability to return; the youth forum for their patriotism, focus and dedication to Babanla project; the Patriotic Forum for being the vanguard on the prosecution of Babanla project.

At the end, the furum raised over N3m to execute various outlined developmental activities in the community.