The Baale of Oba-Ifelodun village in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area , Chief Semiu Kushimo Egungbohun has passionately appealed the state government, lawmakers and security agencies to save him and his community from rampaging suspected land grabbers.
Fear – stricken Chief Egungbohun alleged threat to his life by suspected land grabbers who invaded the community along Kobape/Siun Road, off Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, despite the move by the State Government and the state house of assembly to discourage the act through an enabling law.
The Village Head raised the alarm on Sunday to seek the protection of the State Government after suspected land grabbers whom he claimed stormed his house at Workers Estate in Laderin, Abeokuta on August 1, 2023 and attacked him, inflicting varying degres of injury on him.
He said the assailants were attacked him over the disputed 16 acres of land at Ologiri village between Taofeek Adeoye on behalf of Ogunsakin Efundiya family and that of Kamoru Sobiye of Sowunmi family
According to him, owners of landed property within the community are now afraid of building their houses because of the possible attack by the suspected land grabbers
Narrating his ordeal to reporters from his hospital bed at the State Hospital in Sokenu, Ijaye, Abeokuta, Egungbohun accused Taofeek Adeoye of sponsoring the suspected land grabbers who attacked him in the presence of a Police officer simply identified as Terry Mark who later presented a warrant letter inviting him to come to the Force Headquarters in Abuja for interrogation
He added that he was detained at the Kemta Police Station and was later released on bail , following the intervention of the Executive Chairman of Obafemi-Owode Local Government and Secretary To the Local Government
who facilitated his treatment at the hospital
The Baale explained that trouble started when he tried to intervene in the disputed land between the two families on the need to resolve the issue amicably out of court, which didn’t go down well with Taofeek Adeoye, who accused him(Baale) of taking side with other family
Before the attack, Taofeek Adeoye had on March 13, 2023 on behalf of his family dragged the other family and the Baale to an Abeokuta High Court on the same issue still pending before Grade one Customary Court in Owode, but lost out in his bid to increase the size of the disputed 16 acres land to 101.195 acres covering the entire community
The court in its ruling on 14th of July, 2023 dismissed the suit, saying it is an abuse of court process to drag a matter under the jurisdiction of a Customary Court In Owode which is still pending before the court to higher court and referred the matter to the same court
The Village Head said everyone had been living peacefully since he was installed as Baale on May 9, 2021 in the presence of former governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba who is the Oluwo of Oba under the authority of Alake of Egbaland
He added that peace being enjoyed by the people is now under serious threat with the arrival of Taofeek Adeoye from Ibafo whose family lineage is now claiming ownership of land in the entire community and threatening to attack anyone on the landed property
Egungbohun appealed to the State House of Assembly through its Land and Housing Committee Chairman, Hon. Damilola Soneye, the relevant agencies of State Government as well as security agencies to come to the rescue of the people in the community, particularly owners of landed property who are afraid of developing their sites for the fear of being attacked by hoodlums
