IKENNE: People suspected to be notorious land grabbers and their conniving security personnel who provide unlawful cover for illegal land activities have abandoned a Toyota Sienna bus, two motorcycles, four pieces of hand-held mobile phones and dangerous weapons at Lasademo village in Ikenne Local Government of Ogun State.
The panic – stricken land grabbers and rogue police officers were said to have abandoned the bus, and other items and fled the scene upon sighting the advancing operatives of the Ogun State Task Force on Anti-Land Grabbing and Illegalities.
The suspects were bust recently following a bold sting operation by the Task Force which recovered the items and dismantled the notorious cartel of land grabbers being aided by some rogue cops.
The task force, acting on intelligence, raided the location where the land grabbers, backed by heavily armed mobile police officers who were not in uniform and concealed their identity, were attempting to forcibly take over land belonging to the Lasademo family.
Sources indicate that the mobile officers allegedly provided cover for the suspected land grabbers seeking to unlawfully survey Lasademo land at Ikenne, tying it to a judgment obtained from the High Court of Justice, Sagamu Judicial Division of Ogun State with file suit number M/57/2013 by the Ajenise Village in Sagamu, which the suspected land grabbers allegedly intend to exploit in order to claim ownership of the land in question.
In their haste to escape the long arm of the law, the suspects abandoned the white Toyota Siena bus, two motorcycles, four mobile phones, and other dangerous weapons at the scene upon the arrival of the task force.
Two of the cops said to be on illegal duty on behalf of the suspected land grabbers, allegedly threatened to kill the original landowners and community residents who assisted the task force to bust their activities.
Reacting, the residents commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for establishing the task force, saying it has brought relief to the community and restoring sanity in the real estate sector.
“We are grateful to the governor for setting up this task force. They have been a game-changer since they came on board in our fight against land grabbers across the State and our quest in initiating sanity in the real estate sector. We urge them to continue their good work until land grabbing is totally eradicated and rightful owners interests are adequately protected in the State,” one the residents said.
The Daily Crucible reports that the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd had recently warned that any serving police officer found engaging in civil matters such as land, rent, and marital disputations would be sanctioned and his promotion suspended.
Despite the warning, about a dozen of mobile police officers were assigned to the area with instructions to engage in land issues and provide protection for land grabbers during their unlawful activities.
“We call on the police highest authority to investigate the failure and abuse of office by those officers irrespective of the cadre, as their actions and intension are in clear flouting of the Commission’s warning which directed that police officers should stay clear of civil matters and allow Civil courts to do their duties,” the residents appealed.
The task force’s operation is part of the State government’s efforts to curb land grabbing and ensure the protection of citizens’ rights.
