Senate demands commission of inquiry on Ile-Ife killings

The Senate yesterday called on the Osun State Government to constitute a commission of inquiry to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the recent violence in Ile-Ife that resulted in loss of many lives.

The Senate, while adopting a motion by Senators Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano) and Shehu Sani (APC, kaduna) called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, to ensure the prevention of a re-occurrence of such incident in Ile-Ife or anywhere in the country.

Senators said the IGP “should conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.”

They urged the Executive arm to bear the cost of rebuilding burnt houses and business as well as pay adequate compensation to families of the bereaved victims and the injured as a matter of utmost urgency. They observed a minute silence in honour of the victims.

Leading debate on the motion, Jibrin said the incident came at a time when strenuous efforts were made to build bridges of understanding among all ethnic groups in the country.

He said: “Ile-Ife holds a special place in the consciousness of the Yoruba race as their ancestral home and in which other ethnic groups including the Hausa have lived and thrived for several decades, if not centuries.

He said that could not have been achieved if the people of Ile-Ife were not a part of a race that is very accommodating as exemplified by the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuade, who was the closest traditional ruler, friend and ally of the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero.