Indigenes of eight communities in Oko–Makun, Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, on Monday, marched on Oke–Mosan Governor’s Office, Abeokuta, the state capital, calling on Governor Dapo Abiodun to protect them from land grabbers, who alleged have evicted them from their ancestral land, ravaging farm crops and fishponds.

The helpless villagers, who lamented the loss of their means of livelihood to the routine raid on their farms and homes by the land grabbers, also alleged the invaders boldly foisted a traditional ruler (Baale) on them.

Leaders and representatives of the eight communities – Ewu Oje, Ewu Lisa, Kaniyi, Ewu Losi, Dodogiri, Amiteku, Ajagun and Gushenmedo – appealed to the Governor to defend them from the land grabbers terrorising them.

The placard-wielding villagers alleged the land grabbers led by Otunba Kamorudeen Lamina, popularly called Sir K. Oluwo have been destroying their farm produce and encroaching on their lands since 2014.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, “Governor Dapo Abiodun please save us from Sir K”, “Save our souls from Otunba Sir K. Oluwo is ruining our heritage at Makun Sagamu” and “Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun save us from this notorious land grabber called Sir K. Oluwo.”

The Secretary of the affected villages, Mr. Lanre Dada, told the Governor’s representatives led by the Chief of Staff, Salisu Shuaibu, that Kamorudeen in connivance with other land grabbers and hoodlums have been invading their villages, savaging farmlands, crops and fish ponds.

Dada disclosed the wife of the Oditan Pataraku family head at Ewu Oje village, while fleeing from land grabbers, during one of their raids, fell on her chest and died.

Dada recalled that the communities have written so many petitions to police formations in the state, the then administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun and 8th Ogun State House of Assembly without respite to their plights as their oppressors have ways of using the police to gain upper hands against them.

He said: “The land grabbers are now in heavy occupation of the entire land of the six communities, having invaded and sent packing all the land owners, farmers, villagers thereby depriving them of the ownership of their properties and inheritance. Governor Dapo Abiodun should please help us and deliver us from this notorious land grabber.”

Captain Michael Adesonubi, a serving Marine Officer, said the communities through their lawyer, Wale Ayodele petitioned the Deputy Commissioner of Police and the Inspector- General of Police Monitoring Unit at the Force headquarters, Abuja on the matter who invited them.

He said they went to Abuja three times but all to no avail, saying in the fourth time, lamenting they were kidnapped at Kabba, Kogi State, on September 14, 2017, with their captors freeing only three after paying N5m ransom and spending two weeks in the bush.

He rued that the forth person, Tajudeen Otesile alias Baba Ibeji, was taken to a different location and has not been found since 2017.

He urged the government to act fast to save the communities from the land grabbers.

The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Salisu Shuaibu, who addressed the protesters, lauded them for conducting themselves peacefully despite provocations.

Shuaib, who appealed to them to exercise patience with assurance the Governor would look into the matter, reminded the villagers that there is already an existing anti-land grabbing law in the state.

He declared the new government would implement it to the full.

He said: “Ogun state is not a banana island or save haven for criminals. The attack on you is an attack on the government. Your security and protection of your farm lands are utmost importance to the government.

“Be patient, don’t take laws into your hands. The government with immediately call security agencies into action.” (The Nation)

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