By Adetokunbo FAKEYE
Nigeria – Farmers and residents from five Ilaro communities in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State have petitioned Gov. Dapo Abiodun over increasing attacks and land encroachment by armed land grabbers.
In a petition addressed to the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and obtained by ProwlingEagles, the people of Iweke, Idode, Koto-Obo, Ilobi-Omuwa, and Ileba in Yewa South Local Government Area of the stated, expressed deep concern over what they describe as “escalating terror” on their ancestral farmlands.
The spokesperson of the affected communities, Pastor Oyero Olurin, painted a grim picture of the situation this way: “For several weeks now, these criminal elements, operating in defiance of your administration’s Anti-Land Grabbing Law and despite the efforts of our revered Paramount Ruler, His Royal Majesty Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, have continued to violently invade our lands.”
The group in their petition alleged that the invaders, armed with dangerous weapons – have been assaulting farmers, destroying decades-old crops such as cocoa and citrus, stealing livestock, and intimidating villagers with impunity.
“The scale and frequency of these attacks have reached intolerable levels. Many families – who have cultivated these lands peacefully for over 150 years – have now been displaced.
“They live in fear, unable to tend to their farms during this crucial planting and harvesting season”, the petition reads.
Warning of the potential consequences if the crisis remains unchecked, the farmers said it could lead to severe food insecurity, economic collapse in the region, and possible loss of lives.
The petitioners also called out the alleged complicity of law enforcement. “We urge Your Excellency to call the Nigerian Police to order”, they wrote, accusing certain officers of interfering unlawfully in civil land matters.
They stressed that land disputes should be handled by legally recognized bodies – the courts and traditional rulers.
The farmers alleged that some land speculators, working in collaboration with land agents and legal practitioners, are leveraging the police to harass rightful landowners.
“These speculators have been filing baseless petitions that lead to the arbitrary arrest of innocent farmers. It is a deeply troubling abuse of power.”, the people stated.
More alarming, according to the group, is the report that some land grabbers are using police protection to illegally sell large tracts of farmland.
“They claim ancestral ownership without offering any valid documentation. Why are these claims only surfacing now, when their ancestors never contested these lands?”
In their passionate appeal, the petitioners urged Governor Abiodun to:
1. Direct security agencies to disarm and remove the invading groups;
2. Enforce the Ogun State Anti-Land Grabbing Law without delay;
3. Investigate and prosecute those responsible for the attacks;
4. Provide relief and support to displaced families and those who lost property;
5. Establish a monitoring task force to prevent future occurrences and protect at-risk communities.
The letter concluded with a note of hope – “We trust in your leadership and commitment to justice. Your swift intervention will help restore peace, dignity, and the rule of law in our communities.”
The petition was jointly signed by concerned residents and leaders from the affected villages.
Below is the petition:
PETITION OF URGENCY TO THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF OGUN STATE
TO HALT THE ESCALATING INVASION AND DESTRUCTION BY LAND GRABBERS IN ILARO COMMUNITIES
Your Excellency,
We, the undersigned and concerned indigenes and stakeholders of Iweke, Idode, Koto-Obo, Ilobi-Omuwa, and Ileba communities in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, write this petition with utmost urgency and in deep distress over the ongoing and escalating terror being unleashed by armed land grabbers on our ancestral lands.
For several weeks now, these criminal elements, operating in defiance of your administration’s Anti-Land Grabbing Law and the tireless efforts of our revered Paramount Ruler, His Royal Majesty Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, have continued to forcibly and violently invade our farmlands and homesteads. Armed with dangerous weapons, these thugs are chasing away our farmers, beating up innocent villagers, destroying long-standing cash crops such as cocoa and citrus trees, and stealing livestock with alarming impunity.
The scale and frequency of these attacks have grown to intolerable levels, with many families—who have farmed these lands peacefully for over 150 years—now displaced, living in fear, and unable to tend to their crops during this crucial season of planting and harvesting. If unchecked, this situation could result in grave loss of lives, severe food insecurity, and economic devastation for our people.
We believe that your Excellency should call the Nigerian Police to order, specifically regarding their unwarranted involvement in land disputes.
Matters relating to land ownership and rights should be handled solely by the constitutionally recognized authorities – the courts of law and the prescribed traditional authority, the Kabiyesis.
The unlawful actions of the Nigerian Police, who are being used by land speculators to harass and intimidate legitimate landowners and poor farmers, must be stopped.
These speculators, working hand-in-hand with land agents and their lawyers, have been filing baseless petitions to the police, who in turn carry out arbitrary arrests of innocent farmers in Ilaro and Yewa area of Ogun State. This misuse of power is deeply troubling.
Equally painful and infuriating is the emerging report that these land-grabbers are now leveraging police protection to facilitate the illegal sale of acres of land in the area, thereby denying rightful farmers access to their ancestral farmlands.
More disturbing is the flimsy justification given by this new wave of land-grabbers, who claim ancestral ownership of the land without presenting any valid documentation to support their claims.
One cannot help but question: why are these individuals only now asserting ownership over lands that their fathers and forefathers never contested – lands that have been peacefully and uncontestedly farmed by the ancestors of the current farmers for generations?
Your Excellency, we know that your administration holds in high esteem the values of justice, peace, and protection of law-abiding citizens. It is in this light that we respectfully and passionately call for your urgent intervention to:
1. Direct security agencies to immediately deploy to the affected areas to disarm and dislodge the invaders;
2. Ensure the full enforcement of the Ogun State Anti-Land Grabbing Law in line with your government’s commitment to law and order;
3. Investigate the individuals behind these coordinated attacks and bring all perpetrators and their sponsors to justice;
4. Provide relief and support to affected families who have lost property and crops;
5. Establish a task force or monitoring committee to prevent recurrence and to safeguard vulnerable communities across the state.
We remain confident that your timely action will help prevent further escalation and restore peace, justice, and dignity to our communities.
We thank you for your listening ears and swift intervention.
Yours faithfully,
1. OLURIN FAMILY…………………………
2. OGUNDELE FAMILY………………….
3. DOSUNMU FAMILY……………………
4. OLAYANJU FAMILY……………………
5. APENA FAMILY…………………………..
On Behalf of the Concerned Residents of: Iweke, Idode, Koto-Obo, Ilobi-Omuwa, and Ileba Villages.
