Residents of Obakobe and adjoining Ogu-speaking communities in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State have called on President Bola Tinubu, Governor Dapo Abiodun and relevant security and land authorities to urgently intervene in an escalating land dispute which they say is threatening peace and security in the area.
The residents alleged that continued encroachment on community land by suspected land grabbers had resulted in harassment, attacks, destruction of property and theft, warning that the situation could degenerate into a wider communal crisis if not urgently addressed.
They made the appeal while speaking with journalists on the alleged developments in the communities, stressing that they preferred a peaceful resolution through the courts and relevant government institutions rather than confrontation.
Professor Sonayon Olaoluwa, Professor of Diaspora and Transnational Studies and a member of the Steering Committee of the Ogu General Assembly, said the Ogu people were indigenous to Obakobe and had lived in the area for generations, with farming and trading serving as major sources of livelihood.
Olaoluwa alleged that suspected land grabbers had repeatedly invaded the communities despite the Ogun State Anti-Land Grabbing Law of 2016.
He claimed that the alleged activities had led to harassment of residents, destruction of CCTV cameras, theft of livestock and motorcycles, among other incidents.
He urged the Ogun State Government, Bureau of Lands and Survey and security agencies to investigate the competing claims to the disputed land and ensure that ownership issues were determined through lawful processes.
“These land grabbers are not our community leaders, they are not Baales. We do not know them,” Olaoluwa said, while calling for investigations into the identities and claims of individuals allegedly involved in the dispute.
He further claimed that an existing Court of Appeal judgment favoured the Ogu community, arguing that anyone dissatisfied with the decision should seek appropriate judicial redress rather than resort to intimidation or confrontation.
Olaoluwa also raised concerns over an alleged attempt to rely on a judgment involving land in another neighbouring community to establish ownership over portions of land in Obakobe.
He called for the legal basis of such claims to be examined, particularly where, according to him, residents of Obakobe were not parties to the original proceedings.
The community representative also urged the authorities to verify ownership documents, survey plans, boundaries and other relevant records concerning the disputed land.
Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that several individuals were linked to activities surrounding the disputed land. The allegations could not be independently verified, while the persons mentioned were not available for comment.
Recounting previous incidents, a native of the community, Jimoh Abamo, recalled an alleged attack in 2012 in which a young man was injured, saying the incident forced some parents to withdraw their children from school because of safety concerns.
According to him, a peace agreement was subsequently reached, with the parties allocated separate portions of land, but he alleged that the agreement was no longer being respected.
Abamo said residents had reported some of the alleged incidents to the Ado-Odo Police Division but expressed dissatisfaction with the response.
He warned that continued destruction of property could heighten tensions, stressing that the residents did not want to take the law into their own hands.
“We do not want to take the law into our own hands. That is why we are making this public appeal,” he said, urging the government and the Olofin of Ado-Odo Kingdom, Oba Olusola Idris Adebowale Lamidi-Osolo, Otenibotemole II, to intervene.
The residents also complained about years of infrastructural challenges in the communities, including poor roads, inadequate electricity supply and limited healthcare facilities.
They said the alleged land dispute had further created an atmosphere of fear among residents, particularly those whose livelihoods depend on farming and other activities on the disputed land.
Documents presented to journalists indicated that a court order of perpetual injunction was reportedly issued restraining further encroachment beyond previously agreed boundaries.
The residents, however, alleged that encroachment and attacks had continued intermittently despite the reported order.
They consequently called on the Ogun State Government to review relevant land records and gazettes, convene all stakeholders and work with judicial, traditional and security authorities to resolve the dispute.
The residents reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful resolution and respect for the rule of law, while urging authorities to act swiftly to protect lives and property and prevent the dispute from escalating into a communal crisis.