OSOPADEC disburses N400m relief to victims of military attack in Ondo

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission has begun the distribution of relief materials valued at N400m to residents of Ilaje Local Government Area, affected by an alleged military attack.

Western Post confirmed that the intervention followed an incident in October, last year, when personnel of the Nigerian Navy were accused of invading Obejedo, Obe-Adun and Obe-Nla communities, destroying properties worth millions of naira.

Aggrieved residents had subsequently petitioned the police and other authorities, claiming that the attack displaced several families and left many without shelter.

Speaking at the distribution exercise in Igbokoda on Saturday, the Executive Chairman of OSOPADEC, Biyi Poroye, said the commission acted on the directive of the state governor after assessing the affected communities.

Poroye explained that the relief items included mattresses, food supplies, washing machines and other household materials, all procured to cushion the impact of the incident on victims.

He noted that the intervention was aimed at alleviating hardship, stressing that the approved N400m was fully committed to rebuilding damaged structures and supporting affected households.

The chairman added that the commission had also recorded progress in other welfare projects, including the completion of seven jetties, rehabilitation of the long-abandoned Agadagba hospital, and renovation of schools across, Ilaje.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the OSOPADEC Palliative Committee, Dr Ola Judah, said the initiative was carefully designed to restore stability, revealing that the committee facilitated the construction of 12 housing units, rehabilitation of 14 others, and provision of fishing boats, engines and a bakery to boost livelihoods.