Society Gists

The traditional ruler of Atijere community in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Samuel Edema, has been chased out of his palace by some armed men from the neighboring community of Makun-Omi in Ogun State following a communal clash between the two communities.

Atijere in Ondo State and Makun-Omi in Ogun State share boundary, but the two communities had been laying claims to the ownership of a piece of land.

The ownership of the land was said to have been causing incessant crisis between the two communities.

The National Boundary Commission was said to have intervened in the crisis before a fresh crisis erupted on Tuesday between the two communities, leading to many residents deserting their homes while some were injured.

The traditional ruler said he escaped from being killed by the armed men who he alleged were sponsored by a local government chairman in Ogun State. He explained that he was guided out of the town by some of his subjects through the waterways.

He called on the state police command and the state government to come to their aid.

The traditional ruler said, “As I am talking to you now, I am hiding in one of the communities in the coastal area, while our people have been displaced. We are calling on the government and security operatives to come to our aid before it is too late

“We invited the officials of the boundary commission and they fixed a meeting between the two communities where it was resolved that the commission will meet with us on Monday November 28, 2016.

“But because of the Ondo State governorship election, we called for the postponement of the meeting.”

Police Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident.

He said the command had deployed men in the area to restore peace to the area.