The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Aregbe Police Station, Obantoko, Odeda Local Government Area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, CSP Adeoye, in collaboration with the Peace Initiative Committee (PIC), has urged Nigerian youths to embrace love, unity, and peace, describing peace as the foundation for meaningful development.
The call was made on Thursday during a peace meeting between the Peace Initiative Committee and members of different cult groups in Odeda Local Government Area. The meeting was organized to curb cultism and ensure peace during the festive season and beyond.
Speaking at the meeting, the DPO emphasized that love remains the key to resolving misunderstandings, noting that where love exists, conflicts can be settled quickly. He encouraged the youths to take full advantage of the Peace Initiative Committee’s intervention to resolve lingering disputes among themselves.
The DPO also appealed to cult groups in areas such as Fajo, Obantoko, Aregbe, Shomorin, and their environs to allow peace to reign.
Addressing complaints raised by some cult members over territorial disputes, the DPO made it clear that such practices must stop.
He stated that under Nigerian law, no individual or group has the right to restrict the movement of others, stressing that there should be no form of territorial dominance in any community.
Some of the cult members present at the meeting claimed they were often not responsible for violence in the area, alleging that outsiders usually instigate trouble.
In response, the Peace Initiative Committee advised them to promptly report any suspicious individuals so that swift action could be taken.
To enhance quick response to emerging crises, the committee further directed the youths to create a WhatsApp group for immediate information sharing, assuring them that any reported issue would be addressed within 48 hours.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Peace Initiative Committee, Comrade Akeem Abioro, urged participants to relay all deliberations from the meeting to their members who were absent and to caution them against any acts capable of disrupting peace.
He warned that anyone found causing unrest would face the full weight of the law, adding that if any offender escapes, those who attended the meeting could be held accountable, as their details had been documented.
Comrade Abioro also encouraged the youths to become good ambassadors of peace and positive role models within their respective communities.
Earlier, the Public Relations Officer of the Peace Initiative Committee, Comrade Ifebola Togunwa, welcomed participants and explained that the meeting was organized to promote peace, properly guide the youths, and ensure lasting harmony in the area.
He also informed them of an upcoming peace-related event scheduled to hold next year in Abeokuta and invited them to participate actively.
Some members of the Peace Initiative Committee who also contributed their views at the meeting include Shobiye Akeem, Oluwole Kolawole, Olalekan Akintunde, Akin Orija, Badmus Nurudeen, and Idown Kolawole.
The meeting ended on a symbolic and reconciliatory note as all the youths were encouraged to hug one another as a sign of unity, forgiveness, and renewed commitment to peace, affirming that all issues had been resolved and that harmony had been restored.
