Journalists demand justice over land encroachment in Ota

Urge Ogun govt, Olota of Ota to call community to order

MEMBERS of the Sun Cooperative Society Estate at Arobieye community have raised the alarm over the encroachment of their lands located at Ado- Odo Ota Local Council of Ogun State. This is even as they have called on the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Abdul- Kabir Obalanlege, to call the Baale of Arobieye community, Nurudeen Dada, to order and stop re- selling their lands.

The journalists had purchased three acres of land ( 18 plots) at Arobieye community about 13 years ago from the then- head of Akanni family, the late Jacob Akanni.

After the passing of Akanni, some family members under the leadership of Nurudeen Dada, the present head of Akanni family, who also doubles as Baale of Arobieye, began to resell the land at N2 million per plot to buyers. According to the journalists, “when the Baale was confronted, he demanded the receipt of purchase of the land but made no effort to stop the encroachment on the property.

“So, while things are being sorted out between the Baale and journalists, the new buyers are erecting structures on the land.

“It was gathered that the property became noticeable after a major road linking Living Faith Church ( Winners Chapel) International Headquarters ( Canaanland) with Agbara- Sango Ota road was constructed by the church besides the parcel of land.

“The new road not only made the parcel of land visible to commuters, it also made the value of the land to go up, a situation that made the land grabbers, led by Dada, to take over the lands and began to resell them.

The journalists, while lamenting their ordeal, said the Baale simply wanted to use the increase in the value of the property as a result of the new road that passed by it to dispossess them of their lands.