The Ondo State police command have arrested Ogunsemore Gbadebo and Michael Ogunsemore over the communal clashes in Eki/Oboto community in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Olusola Ayanlade said the siblings have been in a prolonged land tussle with Oba Oyetayo Ofoaye of Aboto community, over the headship of the community and
had initiated a civil suit at the Okitipupa High Court.
Ayanlade said that when the judgment did not favour them, they proceeded on appeal at the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure. He said the Appeal Court delivered judgment in favor of Oba Ofoaye, legally reaffirming his position in the dispute.
Rather than accept the ruling, Ayanlade said the duo allegedly resorted to self-help by recruiting armed thugs to unleash violence in the Eki/Oboto community.
According to him “The orchestrated attack led to the displacement of residents, the burning of huts, palm produce, and other valuable items, while one Jeremiah Okuntimehin was macheted during the unrest. This criminal escalation turned a civil dispute into a grave security threat, prompting swift police intervention.”
Ayanlade said in a coordinated operation, operatives of the Command arrested Ogunsemore Gbadebo and Michael Ogunsemore, who have since been arraigned in court.
The police spokesman said the decisive intervention underscores the Command’s commitment to preventing communal crises from escalating into wider conflicts.
He said efforts are ongoing to track down and apprehend other fleeing members of the group who actively participated in the violent acts. He said the arrests mark a significant step in restoring normalcy to the affected community and sending a clear message that communal violence would not be condoned under any guise.
The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal said the Command would not tolerate any form of lawlessness or communal conflict capable of threatening peace and public safety in the state.
He warned individuals and groups that any attempt to undermine judicial decisions or take the law into their own hands would attract the full weight of the law, as the police remain resolute in safeguarding lives, property, and public order across the state.
The Command also assured residents of Aboto and Eki/Oboto communities of adequate police presence, and urged them to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperative with security agencies.
He added that peace and dialogue remain the most sustainable ways of resolving disputes, and warned against any further acts of reprisal or provocation that could threaten communal harmony.
