The Chief of Staff to the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Omoleye has dissociated himself from the rumour making the rounds, that he opressed some Residents of Ireakari and Unity Estate, a Government estate behind NTA in Ado Ekiti.

Omoleye who was reacting to the incident while speaking with newsmen in his office in Ado Ekiti explained that, he only asked security operatives to wadde into the matter by midwife between the two warring groups who staged the protest on Thursday and to ensure peace and harmony reign supreme among them.

He explained that he had earlier in the day met with the leadership of the areas to call their members to order in order to avoid that the issue did not degenarate into breakdown of law and order.

He said one community was alleging that there’s one Government reservation area which has been carved out and the other adjourning is causing security breach, which he said they were trying to ensure that the estate is secured.

Omoleye further stated that the other community complained that if the place is fenced, it will hinder their free access to the estate.

He said he tried to find out the truth from the two groups and discovered there are other adjourning routes which he said are open to other streets, but because of the peculiarity and the familiarity of this other group to the route, having been plying the particular route for years make them resist the introduction of the new road.

The Chief of Staff to the Governor who is also a resident of the area Said the People of the community have a right to Protest against any act inimical to their welfare,Stating that there are Security Questions that needs to be answered hence Government will look into the matter.

“So, what I have done today was to ensure peace returns to their midst by inviting security agencies to midwife between them and to see peace is secured in the area, as I speak now, we are deeply doing consultation with various stakeholders, the officials of the state Ministry of Lands have been invited, I have also invited the officials of the ministry of Works to see if eventually, an access road could be created to ensure it’s motorable and see that the access road that had been blocked is retained.” he said.

Mr. Omoleye further pointed out that Government is not interested in causing dissafection among any of its citizens.

He added that they are all Ekiti people and responsible citizens of the state whom he said they have been living together within the same neighborhood for over thirty years, stressing that there should be no crisis.

He assured the leadership of the Landlord association of the area that by Monday, there will be amicable resolution to the problem.

According to him, “why do I need to take sides, even if they are not members of this state, they are all citizens of Nigeria, and everybody has the right to live in any part of Nigeria, besides, I will not do anything that can tarnish the image of the Government, we would not also fold our arms to allow situation drift into lawlessness and recklessness” .

The Chief of staff said Government is on the top of the matter, while explaining that this is not a time to take sides, noting that the current administration in the state is a law abiding Government that will not take sides on issues.

He added that Government is not interfere in the crisis, but only interested in the peace and tranquility of the two communities.

He appealed to the residents of the area to shealth their swords and embrace peace in the interest of all, while assuring them that he would continue doing anything that will guarantee peace and co-existence of the two communities.

Residents of Ireakari and Unity Estate in Ado-Ekiti had on Thursday distrupted flow of Traffic as they staged a Protest against what they described as Oppression by the Chief of Staff to the Governor.

The Community which is Located in a Government Reserved Area has been having a running battle for some months over the appropriate Location of the Main Gate being erected in one of the exit routes.

The residents armed with Placards of various inscriptions, Claimed that there is a deliberate attempt to Force them out of the community by obnoxious means of mounting another barricade which they said would hinder Free Movement of residents of the area.

~Obafemi Sunday from Ado-Ekiti