Kwara - Gov. AbdulFatah Ahmed of Kwara on Thursday urged the people of Offa and Erin-Ile to embrace peace and put an end to hostilities between them.
In a release issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, in Ilorin, the governor decried the killing of innocent citizens and destruction of property.
He described the action of the communities as cruel and said they should call for immediate cessation of hostility for the return of peace.
The governor promised to bring the perpetrators of the violence in the communities to justice as “government will not condole any act of lawlessness from any individual or community".
He directed traditional rulers of the two communities to henceforth, maintain peaceful coexistence in their communities or be prepared to face the consequences of the hostility.
He said "it's by share providence that Offa and Erin-Ile found each other as neighbours.
“Both communities must, therefore, show gratitude to God by living together in harmony.”
The governor noted that efforts of the state government to bring development to the state might be hampered by violence and destruction.
"Government will continue to take every positive step to attract investments to the state, create more youth jobs and promote youth entrepreneurship through adequate support for skill acquisition," Ahmed said.
He called for cooperation from the people of the state to enable the government deliver benefits of democracy by maintaining the peace for which the state was known.
Ahmed said that the security forces would fish out the brains behind the current public disturbance of peace in the two communities.
He declared that government would not tolerate lawlessness, hence the imposition of a 24-hour curfew in Offa and Erin-Ile.
Ahmed assured the people that other measures were being taken to guarantee that all law abiding people in all parts of the state carried out their legitimate activities without any form of molestation.
NAN
