Law firm accuses Oyo Police Command of aiding land grabbers

By Seyifunmi Odunuga

The law firm of MFL Chambers has accused men of the Oyo State Police Command of aiding those it described as land grabbers against its client in the case between Chief Olaolu Aboderin and Magnus Abiola Aboderin as claimants and Governor of Oyo State and Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey as defendants.

The law firm in a statement by O. C. Bamisaye, said despite its letter to the Commissioner of Police on September 3rd, titled, “RE: SUIT NO I/552025 – CHIEF OLAOLU ABODERIN & ANOR VS THE GOVERNOR OF OYO STATE & ANOR – INVITATION TO VIOLENCE.
Calling his attention to the activities of land grabbers who have invaded the land belonging to its clients located on the Ibadan/Lagos Expressway, noting that those who were arrested have been released and continued to harass its clients on the land.

Bamisaye disclosed that the land in question was bought from the Madarikan family by the Aboderin family in 1976 and later leased to Lufta Bouri, stating that it was released back to the Aboderin family on February 3,1992.

According to her, early this year some people came on the land claiming it has been acquired by government with no notice of acquisition ever served on the families, noting that rather than engaged in violence the Aboderin family went to court.
She added that while the case is pending in court the President of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Niyi Ajewole and his son, Wale brought workers on the land.

While stated that these people now using men of the Oyo State Police Command to arrest members of the Madarikan family on a spurious allegations of malicious damage and threat to life.

Bamisaye maintained that the plan is to put members of the Madarikan and Aboderin families in detention in order to start construction on the land, noting that the case is also before the Oyo State land grabbing agency with Chief Ajewole appearing before the agency.
She said, “The question that right thinking members of the society should ask Chief Ajewole and his collaborators is why are they afraid of allowing the court to decide the matter and using the police to terrorize the land owners?”

Bamisaye who noted that the Aboderin family reported the case to the police in order to avoid communal that may lead to bloodshed, lamented that the police are now through their actions aiding the land grabbers.

She then called on the Commissioner of Police to quickly wade into the matter in order to avoid communal clash.