…calls for IGP, Oyo CP, Makinde, other stakeholders’ intervention
The village heads of Atana, Abibu, Eleso, Faleke, Aremu, Alakaso Iwinleti and Adetona villages in Omi Adio area of Ido Local Government has called on Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Olakulehin Owolabi, the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, Director of State Security Service and other security agencies in the state to as a matter of urgency come to their aid as some langrabbers has allegedly descended on them claiming ownership of their lands.
The spokesperson on behalf of the village heads, Alhaji Muritala Ifawale Adekola (a.k.a E le Omo Buruku Danu), who also doubles as the Balogun Aba Aremu, disclosed that these villages comprise part of the 137 villages that make up Omi Adio as a community.
Ifawale who is the chairman of the Iba Gani Adams led Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) for the entire Ibadanland said these landgrabbers came from no-where and wanted to claim these lands.
Alhaji Muri Omi also called on Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to intervene in the matter, as part of the efforts of his administration to curb activities of land grabbers in the pacesetter state.
He claimed that some people are encroaching on the lands, and that some police officers are aiding and abating the land grabbers.
According to him, some portions of the said land have been cleared by the encroachers trying to grab his family land illegally.
Muri Omi noted that it is high time the government and relevant authorities, especially the judiciary and the police fought the activities of the land grabbers as he lamented that their activities are becoming rampant in many parts of the country.
His words: “I am talking in respect of the landed property belonging to our forefathers. I heard that some people are going around with some pictures and fake documents to sell land to innocent and unsuspecting people. They were supposed to pay back money to the bona-fide owner of the land but they’re hiding under some police officers.
“They have been going about with pictures and sometimes ago, they put a dead person’s picture in one of the petition they wrote to Abuja.
“The land grabbers and some of those people that have been expelled from the Gani Adams led Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) through information are organising a gang up now and that’s why am calling on the IGP and Oyo State Commissioner of Police to as a matter of urgency warn his officers and men not to be allowed to be used by these land grabbers”.
The OPC Senatorial Chairman expressed optimism that the rule of law and justice will prevail in the matter, if concerned authorities act appropriately on the matter before it gets out of hand.
He maintained that if the activities of the land grabbers are not checked, there is no future for the country.
He posited that the landgrabbers and some officers that is in the act of giving them cover are planning to throw dead body on one of the land so as to incriminate the village heads.
“I want to send a note of warning that we will not watch them take over our fathers land that has been nurtured for over 300 years now. Some people cannot just come in a day to sat its their fathers land when they’re not even an indigene of Ibadan. We will not accept that at all.
“This lands has been in the care of the first to third generation and we are the fourth generation holding forth for the land. We have never one day heard from anyone that they give anybody any form of money or farm produce on the land.
“It is surprising to now see some landgrabbers who are claiming they own the land. We cannot open our eyes and let some people come and take away what is ours. If they know they’ve genuine documents, they should head to the court to challenge it.
“I am once again pleading to all the security agencies in Oyo State because these landgrabbers use their officers to torment our people in many ways. I don’t want something that will generate into land war and that’s why am coming out now to let the world know what’s going on.”
