Osun, Oyo governors take joint steps to resolve boundary disputes

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

The Governors of Osun and Oyo States, Ademola Adeleke and Engr. Seyi Makinde, have initiated joint peace efforts to address ongoing border clashes between Lagelu (Oyo) and Iwo (Osun) Local Government Areas, pending the release of the National Boundary Commission’s report.

Meeting earlier this week at Governor Makinde’s residence in Ibadan, the two governors agreed on immediate steps to de-escalate tensions. These include a directive for the Deputy Governors of both states to meet and subsequently visit the affected areas.

According to a statement signed by the spokesperson to the Osun Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the governors emphasized the importance of peaceful dialogue and resolution. They charged the Deputy Governors to engage with community leaders from Lagelu and Iwo to prevent further hostilities.

The Deputy Governors are also tasked with addressing other related boundary disputes, such as the recurring conflict between Orolu Local Government and areas in Ogbomoso.

Both governors called for restraint and an end to reported raids into each other’s territories by aggrieved parties, insisting on due process and the rule of law in resolving the conflict.

The National Boundary Commission had earlier conducted mediation visits to the disputed areas to gather data from documentary and oral evidence in order to determine the exact boundary between the two states.

However, the federal agency has yet to release its report despite several follow-ups by stakeholders, creating a vacuum that is being exploited by aggrieved groups.

In the past month, several villages in Iwo Local Government have been attacked, while groups in Lagelu have also reported assaults on their people and settlements.