Ikangba Land Crisis: Community Appeals to Gov. Dapo Over Alleged Land Grabbing, Shooting
The people of Ikangba Community in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State have appealed to the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to urgently intervene in an escalating land dispute which they said had threatened the peace and safety of residents.
The community made the appeal during a press conference, where it alleged that some individuals described as land grabbers had continued attempts to take possession of portions of its ancestral land despite interventions by security agencies.
The statement, read by Prince Olufemi Oluleye, expressed concern over what the community described as alleged involvement of some officers of the Department of State Services in the dispute.
According to the community, two of its indigenes were at a point arrested and detained at the DSS office in Abeokuta in connection with the dispute.
It said the two men were later released after the presentation of documentary evidence supporting the community’s position and a review of the matter by the DSS authorities.
The community further claimed that the Director of the DSS, after listening to the parties and examining the circumstances surrounding the dispute, warned those involved to desist from actions capable of disrupting peace in Ikangba.
It, however, alleged that the warning had not stopped the activities of the persons it identified as land grabbers, who it claimed continued to enter the disputed land after leaving the DSS office.
The community also said the Ogun State Commissioner of Police had intervened by inviting the parties and listening to their respective positions before allegedly warning the persons involved in the dispute to stay away from the land.
The residents said the interventions by the heads of the two security agencies underscored the seriousness of the matter and the need for all parties to allow lawful processes to determine ownership of the disputed property.
They alleged that despite the interventions, harassment had continued, with reports of maiming and sporadic shooting on the disputed land, thereby creating fear among members of the community.
The community also alleged that the disputed land grabbers had the backing of the Idowa traditional institution, particularly the Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adefuwape. The allegation could not be independently verified from the information made available at the press conference.
The Ikangba people stressed that they were not seeking to prejudge any individual or replace the courts and security agencies, but wanted the rule of law to prevail in determining ownership of the land.
They urged Governor Abiodun to order a thorough and impartial investigation, protect all parties while the dispute was being resolved and prevent the use of security personnel or private agents to intimidate residents.
The community also appealed to the leadership of the DSS and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that their personnel were not used, directly or indirectly, to enforce private claims in land disputes.
It called on the governor, Commissioner of Police, DSS authorities, the State Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force and other relevant agencies to act urgently to prevent further violence, saying the people of Ikangba wanted peace, justice and protection rather than confrontation.
The community urged all parties to sheathe their swords and allow competent authorities to determine the ownership and status of the disputed land through due process, warning that nobody should be permitted to enter the property with firearms, threaten residents or engage in acts capable of causing further bloodshed.
