Aregbesola
Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has warned the people of the state to submit all illegal weapons in their possession.
Aregbesola handed down the warning while receiving the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by his government to look into the crises between Ipetumodu and Ashipa communities in Ife-North Local Government Area of the state at the Government House in Osogbo.
The governor also ordered that those in possession of such should voluntarily surrender them to the relevant authorities. Sounding tough, Aregbesola said such people should prepare themselves to hand over the weapons by May 29 after which he said they would enjoy one week of grace to do so.
The governor, who described the one week grace as a week of peace and disarmament, disclosed that his government had set up a Standing Commission of Inquiry in the state to regularly review all cases of abuse of power or status that may threaten peace and harmonious relationship in the state.
He also called on politicians and people with those he called “Private Army” and guards to immediately disband such structures as the state is entering an era where it will be strict on the maintenance of rule of law, peace and order and the guarantee of the rights of the citizen.
According to him: “People with illegal weapons should voluntarily submit it to relevant authorities in not more than one week from now before government begins to 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 further urged the people of the state to at all times, resort to Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) rather than result to violence and arson when issues like land dispute arise.
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