Environment

Land Grabbers/ Police Clash Cause Pandemonium in Osun

By Web News 494

There was tension around Gbemu, Isale Osun, Popo area of Osogbo capital of Osun State as policemen and scores of land grabbers clashed on Sunday.

Reports from residents of the area had it that workers came to remove burglaries,doors and other fittings on buildings on the piece of land at the popular Gbaemu Newspapers vendor which had been reportedly sold to a private so as to avoid the loosing their belonging to building

However, scores of land grabbers stormed the site around 9:30 AM insisting on collecting money from those working on the site.

One of the residents who simply identified himself as Bolaji explained to our correspondent, that the land grabbers and suspected cultists who were over 20 arrived the site to collect money from the workers but policemen numbering about three from Oke-Baale were on patrol when they met those land grabbers.

He said the police warned them to leave the site but they insisted on collecting money before leaving.

Bolaji stated further that in the course of ensuing brawl between them, the land grabbers attempted hijacking rifles from the policemen, forcing the officers to shoot sporadically to scare them away but the hoodlums refused to leave.

He further narrated to newsmen that in the heat of the confusion, the police called for reinforcement while the land grabbers also mobilized more of their colleagues to the scene, but they lost tue battle to the police, leading to the arrest of two of them.

Another witness, Mr Jamiu Olore alleged that the hoodlums took advantage of the melee to rob POS shop owners.

Another resident named Kazeem confirmed the incident noting that the area was calm with increased police patrol.

In a telephone interview, the Spokesperson of Osun Police Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola could not confirm the incident but promised to get back to our reporter, which she has not done as at the time of filing this report.

Adenitan Akinola

Housing

Residents of Imoshe Decry Activities of Land Grabbers

By Web News 1599

Residents of Imose community in Ejila Awori area of Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State are appealing to government to save them from land grabbers who have invaded the area and forcefully disposed them of their land.

Speaking with newsmen, Head of the Community, Baale Lawal Amusa stated that the land grabbers from neighbouring Ikogbo community who were accompanied by policemen invaded Imoshe town with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons

The Head of the community, Baale Amusa , noted that economic activities have been paralysed in the area as houses and shops have been hijacked while three persons died.

Chairman of the Traditional Rulers in Ejila Awori area, Oba Rigali Bamgbose bemoaned the activities of the land grabbers and urged government and other stakeholders to step into the matter.

On his part, the leader of Ototowu community in the area, Baale Moshood Bamgbose called on the Commissioner of Police in Ogun state to protect the ancestral land of  Imoshe from the land grabbers.

Secretary to the Imohse community also pleaded with government and security agents to urgently arrest the situation as the people have no other place to go and can no longer bear the loss of lives and property.

Our correspondent reports that forceful take-over of landed property is rampant in that part of Ogun State, often leading to loss of lives while government legislation to curb this has not achieved much.

Solomon Olope