Land grabbers invasion: Residents appeal for Oyo govt, police intervention

Residents of Ekerin layout, New Garage, Oluyole local government area, Ibadan, Oyo State, who were last Thursday sacked from their houses by gun-wielding people alleged to be land grabbers have appealed to the Oyo State government and the police to investigate the attack.

The Chairman of the landlords’ association in the community, Alhaji Lamina Adedoyin Ajimotokan, told our correspondent that residents of the layout were never aware of any litigation on their property, which he said the suspected land grabbers had claimed in their petition to the community.

Ajimotokan, who said about 67 landlords were members of the association, raised a need to query the legality of a court order the suspected land grabbers wielded as it was never brought to their notice.

The septuagenarian decried in strong terms the unfortunate development and called on the Oyo State government and the Oyo State police command to wade in.

Ajimotokan explained that most of the land owners in the layout bought their plots from the Ekerin family, who he said had initially bought same from the Olugbesan family. He added he purchased his own land in 1974 and has been living there with his family for 36 years.

“I have never experienced this kind of invasion in my life. My aged mother was inside the house when the thugs locked our gate with their big chain while I was away. We had to look for a means to rescue her when we got back home at night. We want government to, as a matter of urgency, intervene before our people take the law into their hands,” he said.

Mostly affected by the development were the school pupils of a private school, George and Duke, located on the expressway; BJ Foods, Adet Oil filling station, Jaypee Lounge, Rhema Church, Fit Price Restaurant, Mahendra Drilling, DSTV office, JFK Inn & over 100 residential buildings in the area.