….as residents flee for safety
Ogun state government has been called upon to come to the rescue of the people of Makogi community from the hands of fully armed land grabbers in the last one week.
The Olu of Makogi Kingdom under Obafemi/ Owode local government area of Ogun state, Oba Babatunde Akanni Sonola made the call at a media parley in his palace over the weekend.
While narrating the ugly incident, Oba Sonola explained that the land grabbers hiding under the disguise of hoodlums and cultists numbering over 200 invaded Ibokoland, the site of the farmland destroyed the farming rice and started shooting sporadically in an attempt to chase away the residents.
The monarch said that when the issue was reported to him, the community immediately reported the case at the police station in Ibafo, expressing shock that they are yet to respond to the distressed call from the community.
He stressed further that a petition has been submitted to the office of the Commissioner of police at Eleweeran for the state command to act fast to prevent bloodbath in Makogi community.
Oba Sonola said further that after his investigation on the reason for the invasion of the community, he noticed that they came illegally for the possession and ownership of Ibokoland saying that his forefathers are the rightful owners of the farmland with a court judgement on it.
The traditional ruler also alleged that one Sule Oloriodo and Alale who claimed to be the Personal Assistant to the state chairman of Articulated Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (AMORAN), Ogun state branch, Otunba Taofeek Sokoya, aka “Danku” led the hoodlums to the community since last week terrorising the people with dangerous weapons like guns, cutlasses and charms with the residents of the area scampering for safety.
He appealed to the state government to direct the state chairman of AMORAN, Otunba Sokoya to call his boys to order so as to prevent the possible breakdown of law, for peace to reign in the community.
“According to my further findings, one of the hoodlums, one Alale who claimed to be the Personal Assistant of the state chairman of AMORAN that he led his boys to the land alleged that they are on the mission from instruction of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, which I am sure that the information is not true, just name dropping to create fears on the innocent people” Oba Sonola said.
Oba Sonola enthused that the residents of Makogi Kingdom are law abiding and peaceful people, urging the security apparatus in the state to intervene as a matter of urgency so as to forestall any security breach in the community and beyond.
He called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun to intervene in the peaceful atmosphere of Makogi community that has been threatened by these land grabbers.
The monarch appealed to the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, as the chief security officer in the state to direct all the security apparatus to the community so as to quickly stem the violence ocassoned by these land grabbers.
While commending the state government for the job done so far in the last six years in the transformation of the state, the monarch expressed his joy for the recent award of road contract from Magboro under bridge to Iboko farmland.
He therefore urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to come to the rescue of the community from the hands of these land grabbers that have been terrorising the entire community to ensure smooth and speedy work of the contractors working on the road, and also to protect life and property of the residents of the community in the overall interest of peace in the state.