Ogun State House of Assembly has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate the alleged routine illegal arrest and detention of innocent residents of the State on trump- up charges by the police in connivance with land grabbers in the State.
Speaker Kunle Oluomo made the call during plenary on Tuesday when the state lawmakers took turn to report incessant cases of land-grabbing in their various constituencies and the police connection.
The lawmakers spoke separately while contributing to debate on the second reading of the State Anti-land Grabbing (amendment) bill.
Oluomo lamented that hundreds of innocent residents of the State had continued to languish in various detention cells of the police force both in Alagbon, Lagos and the Force Headquarters in Abuja, due to the alleged connivance of land grabbers with some security agents against innocent members of the public.
He pleaded with the Inspector General of Police to help wade into the unwarranted intimidation, arrest and detention to save innocent people from sufferings on account of trump-up charges.
He advised that any land related matters should be charged to court, while promising that the new amendment to the bill titled: H. B. No. 006/ OG/ 2023– Prohibition of Forcible occupation of Landed properties, armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, violence and other related offence ( Amendment) Law, 2023 would ensure a constitution of task force by the State Government to handle land related matters.
Earlier while opening debate on the bill, the sponsor, Hon. Damilola Soneye lamented that the issue of land-grabbing had become rampant in the State, hence the need for the ammendment to make the law more effective and efficient.
Other lawmakers including the Deputy Speaker Bolanle Ajayi, Minority Leader Olalekan Adeleye, Honourables Samsideen Lawal, Waliu Owode, Olusegun Odunuga, Wasiu Ayodele, Fola Salami, Oluseun Adesanya, Babatunde Tella said the activities of the land grabbers had been affecting the peace,progress and development of the State, hence the need to take a holistic approach towards addressing the menace.
Other bills that scaled second reading at the plenary included H.B. No. 002/OG/2023-Ogun State Legislative Funds Management Law, 2023 and the H. B. No. 007- Ogun State Official Orders of Precedence of Public Officers and other persons Law, 2023.
