Two families are at loggerheads over land ownership in Ogun state. According to a petition to the Area Commander of Sango-otta Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force, by Sohe family of Okanran in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, the Sohes deposed that their forefather, late Joseph Sohe, purchased a large expanse of land from Akitunde Liasu, a member of Kuseku family, also late, on December 20, 1972, for which the Sohes have been enjoying maximum control and unhindered possession.
The Sohes, in the petition, filed on their behalf by their solicitors, Olanrewaju Aiyedun Esquire, averred that they have been exercising various rights of ownership vide cultivating economic crops and alienating to third parties.
The petitioners stated that, given the rising commercial value of land in the area, members of Kuseku family have taken up arms against them, giving the names of arrowheads as Biodun Oke, Jaiye Jimoh, Tajudeen Ogunlowo, a.k.a Aperin, Segun Ojo, a.k.a Apabiekun, Oke Posu and Temitope Akapo.
Sohes allegations against the Kusekus, as contained in the petition dated July 4, 2018,were kidnapping, criminal assault, theft, massive destruction of properties, gun-running, police harassment and threat to life.
According to the petition, “However, in view of the rising commercial value of land, the aforementioned have now violently and criminally encroached on our clients’ land with the aid of notorious land speculators, thugs, hoodlums and vandals, who intermittently invade Okanran Village. They are always fully armed with dangerous weapons like guns, axes, cutlasses, knives and charms. They also, at different occasions, chased away our clients from their houses, maliciously destroyed their properties and threatened them with police”.
An instance of kidnap of one Mrs. Gusi Joseph on May 6, 2017 by a gang allegedly led by Tajudeen Ogunlowo was cited. The said kidnap victim, according to the petitioners, had not been seen, even as at the time of filing this story.
The kidnap case, the petitioners said, was reported both at the Ado-Odo Police Divisional Headquarters and Badagry Division in Lagos. “But the nefarious incident was conveniently swept under the carpet by the powerful connections of the above-mentioned persons, as they have always consistently boasted. One Mr Yemi Joseph was also kidnapped on July 3, 2018. He was mercilessly beaten black and blue, which made him to sustain serious bodily injuries”, they alleged
While pleading with the police to intervene in the matter before it gets out of hand, Sohes solicitors narrated how, on July 3, 2018, the aforementioned violently invaded Okanran Village “and have now taken over our clients’ property through the instrumentality of coercion, threat and reign of terror, illegally dispossessed our client of their properties and are now expeditiously distorting the landscape. The aforenamed, led by their head thugs, Tajudeen Ogunlowo, a.k.a Aperin and Segun Ojo, a.k.a Apabiekun and an army of gun-wielding hoodlums now patrol our clients’ land, harassing, assaulting and intimidating them with impunity in criminal violation of of our clients’ constitutionally guaranteed rights”.
Frantic efforts were made by Crimepuzzle to get the Kusekus’ reactions to the allegations, of which Mrs. Tope Akapo, at the first instance, in a telephone conversation debunked the allegations, saying “how will the Eguns come to claim land here?”
At the second attempt, Tope Akapo told Crimepuzzle that she had a political meeting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, promising to get back to us, of which she did not.
