The Ogun State Police Command arrested no fewer than six suspected landgrabbers last Friday in the Kajola area of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, who disclosed this to PUNCH Metro on Sunday, said locally made pistols and substances suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from the suspects.
The arrested suspects include 21-year-old Ayodeji Adebayo; 35-year-old Oluwasegun Adesina; Lateef Olawale, and 32-year-old Aliu Ismail.
Others are 32-year-old Akeem Inaolaki; 39-year-old Olatunji Orekoya; 40-year-old Ibrahim Ojola, and 49-year-old Gbenga Ayo.
The police said the suspects, numbering about 16, led by a notorious landgrabber called Yusuf, were said to have attacked the village, wielding various dangerous weapons.
The head of the village, identified as Olusesi Adebayo, was said to have told the police that the hoodlums scared off any villager found in sight with weapons.
While the villagers were scampering for safety, Adebayo told the division that some of the hoodlums began to erect what appeared to be the foundation of a building on a portion of land in the village.
“They entered our village. They were led by Yusuf. They started chasing any villager they saw with their weapons.
“While they were doing that, other members of the group began to lay the foundation of a building on the portion of land. This land has been in dispute for a long time. The matter is even in Ifo court,” Adebayo was quoted as having told the police division.
The police said their Ifo Division promptly mobilised its anti-robbery squad led by one Inspector, Ojudale Adekunle, to restore peace and bring in the suspects for prosecution.
However, immediately after sighting the police patrol van, Odutola said the suspects fled into a nearby bush while men of the anti-robbery unit gave them a hot chase.
Odutola stated, “We recovered two live cartridges. Eight of the suspects were arrested. Our men are working on arresting others who escaped during the operation. The preliminary investigation is ongoing, and they will be transferred to the command headquarters once this is completed.”
In an interview with PUNCH Metro correspondents in January 2024, the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, revealed that the command had started compiling lists of suspected landgrabbers in the state to aid the fight against the menace.
He said, “We have made our position clear on the issue of landgrabbing. We have started compiling a database for all known landgrabbers. Somebody will claim that his family has acres of landed property in Yewa. The same family has acres of landed property in Abeokuta, and the same family has acres of landed property in Ijebu. What kind of family is that?
“We are making a compilation of such persons so that anytime their names appear in any petition, we can easily identify such persons and also assist the court with the information we have that this person is claiming ownership of land in Abeokuta, Yewa, and Ijebu, which logically cannot be explained.”
