Oyo community raises alarm over ‘land grabbing, violence’

The Gbedu/Eleke community of Iwofin town, Surulere LGA of Oyo state, has raised the alarm over alleged land grabbing and violence in the area.

In a statement on Thursday, the community leaders accused Amos Adamu, a former director general of the National Sports Commission (NSC), of land encroachment and destruction of farmland.

The community asked Seyi Makinde, the governor of the state, and Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police, to intervene urgently before the situation spirals out of control.

According to community leaders, Adamu lawfully purchased land in Iwofin more than 30 years ago.

However, they alleged that he has since expanded beyond the agreed boundaries, forcefully taking over additional acres of land and disregarding multiple peace efforts.

Raphael Oladayo Olaniran, the traditional ruler of Iwofin, said the landowners who sold property to Adamu had initially raised concerns that he had taken more than what was originally sold.

“When I became king, I was informed that Dr. Amos Adamu had acquired land during my predecessor’s reign,” Olaniran said.

“However, complaints emerged that he had taken an additional 400 acres beyond the agreed purchase. We tried to settle the matter amicably, but he refused to listen. Instead, he continued to encroach and destroy farmland belonging to our people.

“We cannot continue to live in fear. We demand that the government intervene before more lives are lost. The law must be enforced fairly, and our people must be protected.”

Olaniran Ademola, secretary to the Oluwofin Family, said: “He already has land in Iwofin; yet he suddenly started grabbing other people’s land. When we resisted, he brought in hoodlums who attacked our people. Some were severely injured with machetes. The police arrested them, but Adamu later secured their release, and the very next day, they returned to beat up more farmers.”

When contacted, Adamu dismissed the accusations, maintaining that he is the rightful owner of the land.

“I have had the land for about 30 years and possess a certificate of occupancy (CofO) issued by the state government in 2013. If someone now claims to have bought the land about four years ago, did they buy something that had already been sold?” Adamu said.

Adamu also denied allegations of hiring thugs to intimidate farmers, stating, “That is completely false. I live in the north, and when I need workers for my farm, I employ laborers from there. I always take them to the police station to register them upon arrival. These are legitimate farmworkers, yet some people falsely label them as criminals.”