Residents of Okanran and 47 other Ogu-speaking communities in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area have raised alarm over alleged persistent attacks by suspected land grabbers, calling on Governor Dapo Abiodun, security agencies and the Federal Government to urgently intervene.
The communities, who claim ancestral ties spanning over five generations, alleged that they are under siege by a group reportedly led by Jaiyeola Jimoh Togun of the Akapo family, alongside other unidentified individuals.
According to the residents, the group’s claims are linked to a chieftaincy dispute involving a single family and do not extend to land ownership.
They further alleged that attempts to justify the claims through a Supreme Court ruling were misleading, insisting that the court had dismissed any connection between the dispute and land ownership.
The communities accused the group of laying claim to about 1,200 hectares of land based on a gazette allegedly issued during the administration of former governor Gbenga Daniel.
They described the claim as fraudulent, alleging the use of thugs and falsified documents to intimidate residents and assert control.
Regent of Okanran community, Chief Akinyanmi Elijah, alleged that armed men frequently invade the communities, assaulting inhabitants and destroying property, creating a climate of fear that has disrupted farming and trading activities.
He also accused some officials of the Bureau of Lands and Survey of complicity in attempts to appropriate community land.
Another resident, Chief Ojo Agen, recalled a 2011 incident in which a young man was killed near a primary school, leading to the withdrawal of pupils over safety concerns.
Although a peace agreement was later reached between the communities and the Akapo family to occupy separate portions of land, residents alleged that the agreement is no longer being respected.
The communities lamented years of neglect, citing lack of basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity, schools and healthcare facilities. They added that the only public school in the area has been destroyed, forcing children to attend schools in neighbouring communities.
In a Save Our Souls appeal, the residents called for a thorough investigation into the crisis, strict adherence to due process in land administration, and the revocation of any disputed gazette.
They also expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as the inaction of the Ogun State House of Assembly and their elected representatives.
Documents obtained indicate that a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the parties following the 2011 crisis. The matter resurfaced at a Grade One Customary Court in Ado-Odo on November 4, 2025, before being escalated to the Ogun State High Court for adjudication, where the respondents were reportedly absent.
Residents also referenced a court order of perpetual injunction restraining further encroachment beyond agreed boundaries, alleging that violations have continued despite the ruling.
They urged the state government to convene all stakeholders, enforce existing legal decisions, and restore peace to the affected communities.
