Human Rights Monitoring Agenda and a lawyer, Kayode Oyedeji, have petitioned Osun State Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Gotan, over alleged incessant attacks on the Gabriel Amusan family of Wakajaye/Oluwada Community, Gbogan, by alleged land grabbers.
The petitioners appealed to the commissioner to invite the alleged land grabbers and direct them to remove ‘thugs’ from the land and maintain peace with the family.
Executive Director, Buna Olaitan, led the family in Gbogan on a peaceful protest.
They were received by Police spokesman, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, on behalf of the commissioner. He assured them of a prompt response.
“Although the police are not supposed to intervene in civil matters, which include land issues, we will ensure proper investigation of this alleged attack and ensure proper action and peace for all,” Ojelabi said.
Olaitan said his group was “worried that a delay in police/state intervention might lead to bigger crises, which is not healthy for the state and the nation at this period.”
The petition read in part: “We are members of the Amusan Family, which forms one of the four larger sections of the Okunremi family.
“We have been living peacefully in Wakajaye/Oluwada communities until recently, when some elements in the community came to inform us to stop going to our own Amusan (Bamiyogbin) section land.
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“Our people are farmers and the accused have been preventing us from going to our farmland, using thugs, physical attacks and violence to achieve their aim.
“In order to avert breach of peace, we have filed a case, which is pending before the Odeomu High Court.
“Our people are presently suffering in silence with no food to eat, and we cannot access our land.
“It is surprising the accused have taken laws into their hands despite the pendency of the case where we have filed a motion for interim injunction, motion for interlocutory injunction and other processes.
“This action of these accused persons is, however, deliberate because of the current strike by judiciary workers in Osun State, and this action can lead to breach of peace, loss of lives and properties, breakdown of law and order if we or other sympathisers decide to retaliate and fight back.”
Oyedeji’s petition reads in part: “We urge the CP to warn the defendants to desist from going to the claimants’ land pending the final determination of the case and all court processes filed therein.
“Warn the defendants to stop preventing claimants from going to their Amusan (Bamijogbin) section land.
“Warn the defendants to maintain peace with the Claimants and desist from anything likely to breach the peace.”
