Sam Philip
Police have arrested 32 suspects in connection with the communal clash in three communities in Oka-Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
While on-the-spot assessment in the communities, the state Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi said it was timely intervention of the police that stopped the crisis.
According to him, the 32 suspects have been moved to the state Command headquarters in Akure for intensive interrogation.
Oka Odo was the most affected in the crisis during which a number of houses were torched.
The communities have since been deserted.
The Commissioner said: “If the two communities sit down, it can be resolved. This is a matter that can be resolved in court. So, taking laws into their hands at this stage is disappointing. When you lose peace, a lot of things get paralyzed.
“My advice to the people fomenting this crisis is go the way of peace because when the chips are down, you will end up being the loser. The prompt deployment of Police saved the situation.
“Now we have 32 suspects in our custody. There’s nothing like random arrest. Many of them were arrested in the act. I can give you the assurance that they will be prosecuted.
“The evidence that we have against them is overwhelming and we have assurance that we will getting convictions and they will be out of circulation for some time. I think that will teach them a lesson to follow after peace.”
It would be recalled that some youths from Ebo community in error allegedly attacked some youths from Owake who were on games hunting in the forest thinking they were from Oka Odo on Sunday.
This snowballed to serious clash between residents of Ebo who were said to have a pending land tussle with the people of Oka Odo.