Save us from Land Grabbers, hoodlums - Ogun Community begs Govt, Police, Assembly

There is currently palpable fear in the hearts of the residents of  Olorunsogo Community in Ifo Local Government area of Ogun State over alleged planned invasion by suspected land grabbers from Ibaragun, Oba area of the State.

The  Community is located half at Papalanto and Sagamu Interchange axis, consisting of over 200 towns which included, Gbogbo oke, Gbogbo Odo, Luwani, Yanbi, Jagunna, Iyedi Balogun, Iyedi ikereku, Asa apon, and Oke Nla, amongst others cutting across three local government areas.

They have accused the Aworis from Ibaragun community of wagging war on their community over a proported Supreme Court judgement it claimed to have gotten years ago.

But irked by the ugly development, the Olu of Sunren Olorunsogo, Oba Samuel Olukayode Sodimu at a Press conference in Abeokuta, the state capital alongside the Baale of Apode land, Baale Richard Adeosun, former Ogun State University now (Olabisi Onabanjo University), Prof. Afolabi Soyode, Aree Oluomo of Egbaland and the Councillor, representing the community, Hon. Folarin Olujimi, Asiwaju of Isola land, Apostle M A Akindele  raised alarm over the issue.

He appealed to the Nigeria Police force,  State Government, House of Assembly, and other law enforcement agencies to as a matter of urgency come  to their aid.

The tense looking Traditional ruler revealed that his community has been served between 24-48 hours to vacate their communities by the suspected hoodlums.

Sodimu explained that the purported Supreme Court judgement was between the Ayorinde, Alakija and Ibaragun and not their communities, insisting that they were not served any judgement.

His words: "Their proported Supreme Court judgement was between the Ayorinde, Alakija and Ibaragun. We were not served any notice by any court, neither did our forefathers told us that we are family with them.

So, we are surprised that they claimed to have a judgement against us when the distance between us in landmass is very far".

He  pleaded "We appeal to the state government, all law enforcement agencies in the state to please come to our rescue. We have the elderly in the community who have history and ancestors attached there. So, we cannot be forced out of our ancestral homes when we have a government in the state". 

The traditional ruler said that they have been supporting the both the federal and State governments by releasing their lands for people oriented projects.

He said that they released their lands for government for Olorunsogo power plants hence the governments should come to their rescue.  

Corrobating Sodimu, Apostle Akindele noted that on Nov 2nd, 2021, the land grabbers had invaded the community, but they were able to arrest some of them and handed them to the police who later released them.

He explained that findings show that they claimed to have gotten their support from former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who they claimed have been gifted about 1, 000 hectares of their  land to.

Akindele believed that Obasanjo name was just being used to perpetrate the evil.

His words: "These people are using the name of our referred Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as their supporter. I am sure baba himself might not know this. So, we are using this medium to inform him of these people trying to soil his name on land matters"

"River Ogun already seperated the two Communities. It has not been in any history that the awori ibaragun are part of us.

"We have written to the State Government, the Ogun state House of Assembly, and other law enforcement agencies concerning this issue. We hope they wade in before things degenerate", he added 

The former Vice - Chancellor of the Ogun State University now Olabisi Onabanjo University, explained that the judgement which the Invaders claimed to have, was not subsistence since it was over 10 years ago.

He explained that if there was a case against them, they would have been part of the case from the onset, saying they ( Invaders) are just taken laws into their hands.

 His words: "No rule of law, I wondered why some people will just take laws into their hands, I don't know why they are terrorising us, our people, especially old people in the villages have no place to go to or run to. Government should please assist us and help us".  

They claimed to have written letters to the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ogun State Police Command, the State House of Assembly to notify them about the matter.