The traditional leader in the Eredo community in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, Chief Rasak Amujara, and other residents have cried out to the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, over the activities of land grabbers who foment trouble and cause clashes in the area.
Amujara appealed to the governor and security agencies to intervene and protect the community from the alleged activities of the land grabbers.
According to him, the land grabbers have been terrorising the community, using thugs and fake documents to lay claim to lands belonging to innocent citizens.
The alleged land grabbers are accused of conniving with some officials in the Bureau of Lands and Survey to lay claims to people’s lands and sell off the lands to private individuals, including Chinese nationals, while displacing farmers and landowners.
The community leader alleged that the duo uses the name of the Ogun State government to deceive landowners, claiming that their lands have been taken over for overriding public interest.
He expressed concern that the activities of these alleged land grabbers do not only paint the community in a bad light but also put inhabitants in panic mode whenever they begin their acts.
Amujara urged Governor Abiodun to take immediate action to stop the alleged land grabbers and protect the rights of the community’s inhabitants.
A female victim, who prefers anonymity for fear of attack, said she bought acres of land and was displaced, but now she has reported the case to the police.
She expressed deep concern that if no drastic action is taken, the activities of these land grabbers might lead to communal clashes, saying, “We don’t want a crisis like the one in Benue here.”
“The community is calling for urgent intervention to prevent further escalation of the situation,” Alhaji Mukaila Amao, a resident of Eredo, said.