Ondo sets up panel on Ilaje-Ijaw row

The government of the southern state of Ondo has set up a panel to probe recent clashes between Ijaws and Ilajes and work out modalities for resettling and rehabilitating people who were forced by the conflict to flee their homes. ‘The Guardian’ daily said it had learnt that the government decided to constitute the committee following the alleged failure by leaders of the two communities to attend a peace meeting it had organised. According to reports, 16 people died and many others were injured when armed men said to be soldiers allegedly attacked an Ilaje settlement in September. The two communities have been engaged in hostilities for some time now over the ownership of Apata, an oil-rich town, but a truce had been achieved in May, following the intervention of the government.