Members of the Olarinde Royal Family of New Oguntedo community, Satellite Town, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, have raised an alarm over the alleged forceful takeover of their ancestral land by suspected landgrabbers.

The family also lamented an alleged intimidation by some officers of the Nigeria Police Force.

Speaking during a protest staged at The PUNCH Place on Wednesday, the family’s Public Relations Officer, Prince Yussuf Olarinde, accused certain police officers of colluding with the land grabbers to oppress and forcefully dispossess his family of their ancestral land.

He alleged that members of his family, including himself, had been subjected to various forms of harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention orchestrated by hoodlums and security personnel acting on the orders of the land grabbers.

He said the land in question, formerly known as Oguntedo Village, was resettled by the Federal Government in 1978 following acquisition for public use during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo.

According to him, 14 living quarters and farmlands were allocated to the family as compensation, and this had been recognised in law.

He said, “The Oguntedo family land was acquired by the military government through an official Federal Government gazette for public purposes. Meanwhile, my grandfather, who was a traditional ruler then, because all our family land was acquired, pleaded with the Federal Government for a resettlement, and the former head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo, the then military Head of State, visited the villagers, held a meeting and promised them that he would make sure a new resettlement scheme was carved out for them and he did, like he said.”

The Federal Government, he further said, spent its own money to construct 14 living quarters for the family. “He also marked a portion of the land for our family as farmland in satisfaction of our family’s occupation, as we are families of traditional farmers. Right now, the ownership of this land has been judicially noticed by the Lagos State High Court. They entered a judgement in favour of my family, which has been executed and duly enforced.

“We’ve been in possession of that place for about 34 years now, since we got the judgement and it has been enforced for over 30 years. So, we are surprised with all these new people claiming ownership of those properties and rather than seeking redress in a competent court of law to prove their right of ownership, they have resorted to using hoodlums to force us out of the property.”

Olarinde added that the land dispute dated back to between 2014 and 2016 and claiming that to resist the encroachment, some members of the family were falsely accused of murder and detained.

According to him, while in detention, the invaders took over the land and properties without any court order.

He alleged that they used the police to forcibly eject their family members, loot their homes, and cart away vehicles and personal items.

Olarinde, however, lamented that despite several petitions to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Attorney-General’s office, and the Lagos State House of Assembly, the family had not received any formal response or intervention.

“We wrote to the Lagos State Governor since last year about the criminal invasion. Till now, no response. Significantly, there is one police unit, MOPOL 49, Squadron Unit, Epe, who also forcibly ejected them from their houses and looted their properties. And right now, as I speak to you, they are still there, invading our family house.

“Even after we were granted judgment over the land by a Lagos High Court and were in possession for over 30 years, new claimants emerged. Instead of approaching the court, they resorted to thuggery and violence.

“As I speak, we are not safe. Thugs, under the guise of unionists, recently attempted to assassinate me. We need a 24-hour police patrol to protect lives and property. We have been forced out of our homes,” he lamented.

The family appealed to Sanwo-Olu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure justice is done, and those behind the alleged oppression are brought to book.

Another member of the family, Zainab, alleged that the land grabbers had taken interest in their property due to its high value.

He also lamented that the development had led to the disruption of his studies.

She said, “The land-grabbers are interested, because one plot on our side now is like N40m to N50m. So, that’s what is attracting them. Our properties are forcefully taken from us.

“The issue has led to the disruption of my academics due to the financial burden it has brought on us.”

When contacted on Thursday, the state Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, said he was not aware of the development.

He said, “I am not aware.”

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached as calls made to his telephone were not responded to. A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed. (The PUNCH)