By Omolara Adasofunjo
The Ogun State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on the state government to liaise with the federal government and the military hierarchy to provide an alternative shooting range for the Nigerian Army.
This is to resolve the alleged land encroachment by officers of the Nigerian Army, Sappers Barracks, Ilese, affecting Apunren-Ijebu and other communities.
The resolution followed a report by the House Committee of the Whole, presented by Deputy Speaker, Mrs Bolanle Ajayi.
Mrs Àjàyí moved the motion for it’s adoption, seconded by the majority leader, Mr Lukuman Adeleye, and unanimously supported by members through a voice vote during the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Oludaisi Elemide at the Assembly Complex,Oke Mosan , Abeokuta.
The report revealed that the lingering land dispute between the Nigerian Army and the communities of Apunren – Ijebu and Ijebu -Mushin had persisted for about five decades.
According to the spokesperson of the communities, Retired Major General Odunsi Samson, the dispute originated in 1977 following a military decree establishing barracks across various states in the country.
The report revealed that the Army’s failure to properly document and gazette the reduced land allocation, leading to encroachment on host communities.
The report recommended that the state government should engage senior military authorities to review the decision reached earlier by the panel to prevent further encroachment.
The Speaker directed the clerk of the House to forward the copies of the report to the state governor, federal ministries, and Heads of security formations for necessary action.
Edited by Titilayo Kupoliyi
