Ogun Communities Decry Illegal Farmland Encroachment and Resident Harassment
Ogun Communities Decry Illegal Farmland Encroachment and Resident Harassment
Three communities—Ladesuwasi, Jagun Beluwo, and Maleke—located along Oba Erinwole Road in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, have petitioned the Public Complaints Commission over allegations of police intimidation, harassment, and unlawful occupation of their ancestral farmlands.
The petition, signed by community representatives including Mr. Oladipupo, Mr. Olutayo Ogunyemi, Alhaji Suleiman Ofunyin, Alhaji Poku Bowale, and Prince Oluwaseun Opaleye for Ladesuwasi; Samson Sotunbo and Mike Sotunbo for Maleke; and Mr. Samson Awofeso and Ahmed Shittu for Jagun Beluwo, outlines claims of illegal land encroachment.
According to the petition, obtained on Sunday, the dispute began in 2019 when one Mr. Kolawole Adedayo Erinle allegedly bought four acres of land from the Maleke family but proceeded to fence off more than 200 acres—encroaching on lands belonging to the Ladesuwasi and Jagun Beluwo communities.
The communities also claimed that Erinle, who is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence in connection with a $1.4 million fraud case prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), brought in police personnel to provide him with protection while forcefully taking over additional portions of land that did not belong to him.
The communities alleged that even from the prison, Erinle had continued to coordinate the work of the police operatives stationed on the vast land.
They claimed that, “These police officers have for the past six years remained stationed on the land, intimidating our people and enabling the illegal sale and occupation of our land by various land grabbers.
“Despite several reports to the Sagamu Area Commander and the Ogun State Police Command at Eleweran, Abeokuta, no tangible action has been taken to address this issue.
The petitioners lamented that despite the conviction and imprisonment of Mr. Kolawole Adedayo Erinle by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), police officers allegedly working with his collaborators have continued to harass, assault, and obstruct community members from accessing or developing their land.
“Farming and construction activities have been forcibly stopped, and anyone attempting to assert their rightful ownership is either beaten or arrested,” they stated.
They further claimed that their communities now live in constant fear, with residents being assaulted without consequence. According to them, all attempts to seek redress through formal channels have so far proved futile, raising concerns that the officers involved may have been compromised.
“We are therefore appealing to your commission to urgently investigate this matter and help restore peace, law, and order in our communities. We are counting on your swift intervention and support,” the petition concluded.
When contacted for comments, Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, confirmed that the command was aware of the situation and had begun investigating the allegations.
“Yes, we are aware of the incident, and I have directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to look into it,” Ogunlowo stated.
