Ekiti State Government has sought the support of traditional rulers in the state in order to make the state uninhabitable for those who indulge in rape and defilement of children.
The state is also seeking the traditional rulers’ cooperation in curbing the menace of land grabbing which is at the centre of many violent crisis in the state.
The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Olawale Fapohunda, stated this during an interactive session with the state’s traditional rulers at the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.
“We know that legislation alone cannot do this, we are vigorously prosecuting sex offenders, in many ways.
I, as Attorney General will personally lead the prosecution against any sex offender because Fayemi government has zero tolerance to sex violence in the state.
Fapohunda, while soliciting the support of traditional rulers in curbing the menace of land grabbing, said it is sufficient to turn investors away from the state.”
He explained that most land conflicts are caused by people who do not have any title on the said land, but just want to forcefully grab the land, noting that if nothing was done urgently to curb the trend, it could lead to breakdown of law and order.
The Commissioner stated that henceforth, there will be sanctions for every land grabber according to the law, including prison terms.
“A bill has been presented to the Ekiti State House of Assembly called Anti-Land Grabbing Bill, we have asked the Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs to circulate the proposed law to the traditional rulers so that we can get your inputs.
“We know that land in Ekiti state is crucial to economic agenda of the Fayemi administration, we think if it can be properly managed, then local and foreign partners, as well as investors of matters can come to Ekiti and be assured that when they want to acquire land for the purpose of their businesses there will not be issues.
“According to the present law, there are number of provisions to be considered which consist of prohibition of forceful land takeover as well as occupation of land that does not belong to anyone, he asserted.
Fapohunda also urged the traditional rulers to forward judgments that emanate from their palace courts to the state government, stressing that the state government has mapped out plans to compile such judgments into a compendium.”
Responding on behalf of the traditional rulers, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, the Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju and the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe appreciated government for the move to curb rape and child defilement as well as land grabbing in the state, adding that the menace had been a source of major concern to many community leaders.
The traditional rulers promised to look into the document, deliberate on it and forward their decisions to the Ministry of Justice. They promised to throw their full weight of legislation that will bring improvement to the quality of lives of the people of the state as well as preserve the integrity of the state.