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PANEL OF ENQUIRY ON IDOGUN CRISIS BEGINS SITTING, ASSURES CULPRITS WILL NOT ESCAPE PUNISHMENT
The Ondo State Administrative Panel of Inquiry on the communal crisis in Idogun, Ose Local Government Area, has warned that any individual or group found responsible for actions that led to the crisis will be punished, regardless of status or influence.
The panel, chaired by Mr Idowu Mafimisebi, issued the warning as public hearings commenced, following the receipt of 58 memoranda from stakeholders and community groups.
Speaking during the sitting, Mafimisebi said the crisis was deeper and more complex than initially assumed, adding that the panel was determined to uncover the remote and immediate causes of the unrest.
“Our intention is to bring to book whoever is found wanting in all the shenanigans that led to this crisis. We will not care whose ox is gored. Any person who contributed one way or the other to the breakdown of law and order will be held accountable,” the chairman declared.
He stressed that the panel was set up to ensure justice, fairness and lasting peace, urging residents to remain calm and law-abiding while the inquiry runs its course.
“We implore the people of Idogun to keep the peace and not take the law into their hands. Justice will be done, and at the end of the day, peace will return to the community,” Mafimisebi said.
The chairman disclosed that although the panel was initially given six weeks to complete its assignment, logistical challenges and the volume of memoranda had consumed nearly four weeks, raising the possibility of seeking an extension.
“With the number of memoranda submitted and the depth of the issues raised, the matter is more deep-rooted than we earlier thought. We will do our best to conclude within the time given, but if necessary, we may request an extension from the government,” he added.
Mafimisebi further assured that the panel would be honest, firm and thorough in its work.
“People should expect justice. We will be sincere, tenacious and committed to finding out the exact causes of the problem in Idogun,” he said.
The sitting was attended by the traditional ruler of Idogun (Onidogun), several chiefs, community leaders, and their legal representatives.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional ruler, counsel to the Onidogun, Bode Akinyemi said the monarch, Oba Moses Bakare and his subjects were fully cooperating with the panel and remained confident in its outcome.
“Our position is simple: we believe in due process. The traditional institution has nothing to hide and will continue to cooperate with the panel. We are confident that the truth will come out and justice will prevail,” the counsel said.
He also appealed to residents to avoid actions that could escalate tensions.
“This is not the time for self-help. Everyone should allow the panel to do its work so that peace can permanently return to Idogun,” he added.
Public hearings are expected to continue, after which the panel will compile its findings and recommendations for submission to the Ondo State Government.
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