Police, Ogun community disagree over invasion of land grabbers

Adejoke Adeleye, Abeokuta

Controversy is trailing alleged invasion of Ifelodun Community in Olorunsogo area of Ifo local government of Ogun state by some people alleged to be land grabbers.

But the police said the the alleged land grabbers said to have arrived the community as early as 10am armed with dangerous weapons and waylaid residents of the community were actually court bailiff supported by policemen to enforce a court judgment on land ownership.

An eyewitness said the royal father of the town, Olu of Sunren, Olorunsogo, Oba Samuel Olukayode Sodimu would have been killed if he was not quickly whisked away by youths from the community.

The invaders, according to one of the youths, claimed that they are the rightful owners of the land from Ibaragun, Papalanto, Ofada, and Iro to Olorunsogo.

Speaking to newsmen from his hideout, the Olu Sunren, Oba Sodimu explained that the crisis over the land ownership started in November 2020.

He said despite a series of petitions to the Police and the Ogun state government, there was no help to the community from anywhere.

“We called the police, they did not yield to our calls. They said about 60,000 acres of our lands have been given to former President Obasanjo. Even, about 60 percent of the community lands have been put under government acquisition.

“The attackers shot sporadically for over five hours without police intervention. They said they wanted to take possession of our land. I called the PPRO myself who said we should go to the Police station, we got to the police station, the police told us Baba Obasanjo had instructed them not to intervene in the land matter.

“We will remain resolute to defend our land with the last drop of our blood. We will not vacate the town for them, we shall wait to resist any attempt to take our land from us.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun state, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi denied knowledge of any attack on the community.

Oyeyemi said the police was unaware of any attack by land grabbers on the residents of the community.

Rather, he said it was court bailiff who went in company of some policemen to the community to enforce a Supreme Court judgement.

“To the best of my knowledge, the Kabiyesi called me truly, but after investigation, we discovered that it was the court Bailiff that went to the community to execute the Supreme Court judgement.

“The acclaimed land owners brought the judgement and we verified it to be genuine, so the Commissioner of Police directed the policemen to accompany the court Bailiff to the place to execute the supreme court judgment.”.

When the he was later contacted after the police response, Oba Sodimu said those that invaded the community were not bailiff and police, but armed assassins who were shooting sporadically with intention to kill anyone that comes their way.

On the judgement obtained from the court, the monarch stressed that the community was not joined in the suit or informed m that there was a case in court contesting the ownership of their land.

He claimed that after getting the knowledge of the court case, the community quickly swung into action and the case was dismissed in court..

Oba Sodimu therefore called on Ogun state government to intervene immediately so that the peace being enjoyed in the community will not be jeopardised as the youths are resolute to resist attempt to take over their land.