Army denies allegation of land-grab in Osun, appeals judgment on dispute

The Nigerian Army says it has approached the appeal court over the judgment regarding the hectares of land at Kelebe area and Omu stream in Osogbo and Olorunda LGAs of Osun state.

In January 2023, the state high court in Ile-Ife ordered the army to relinquish ownership of the 3,646 acres of land to the real owners.

A.O. Ayoola, the presiding judge, held that the acquisition of the land by the army was illegal.

The Nigerian Army had reportedly acquired the acres of land in 1976 for a military base, which was not built.

However, residential and commercial buildings have been built on some portions of the land by residents, who allegedly acquired the plots from the army.

In April 2023, the real owners of the land served warrants of possession on the new occupants of the land.

‘CLEAR ACT OF MISCHIEF’

In a statement on Tuesday, Onyema Nwachukwu, army spokesperson, denied allegations that the army and Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff (COAS), were involved in any form of land-grab.

Nwachukwu said it is mischievous to portray Lagbaja as being behind the controversial land dispute in Osun.

He added that the army chief was not in office when the judgment was delivered.

“The attempt, therefore, to wrongly portray the person and office of the chief of army staff as the protagonist behind the land tussle in the media and the eyes of the public, just to draw attention to the said high court judgment and present it as a current issue being implemented or driven by the COAS, is simply a clear act of mischief that will serve no useful mediatory purpose, but only to denigrate the hard earned excellent reputation and integrity of a detribalized, selfless, and patriotic chief of army staff,” the statement reads.

“As an institution committed to upholding the rule of law and respect for the rights of the citizenry, the Nigerian army will unabatedly continue to be a law abiding institution and, at all times, pursue the fulfilment of its obligations under the law.

“Suffice it to say therefore, that the Nigerian army has taken cognisance of the judgment of the High Court of Justice of Osun State in the case of Chief Amodu Akanbi Suleiman Folorunsho & Others V. Attorney General of the Federation & Others,

“The Nigerian Army has initiated an appeal against the decision of the lower court at the Court of Appeal, Akure.

“It is trite that the filing of an appeal against a court decision operates as a stay of execution of that court decision. Thus, it is only advisable that all parties maintain the status quo until the resolution of the appeal.”