Oyo Monarch Decries Incessant Land Grabbing Cases, Seeks Police Intervention

Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Senator Lekan Balogun has expressed concern over reported cases of land grabbing, soliciting the assistance of the state police command.

Oba Balogun has asked the State Police Command to work hand in hand with the traditional institution in Ibadanland comprising the Olubadan Palace, the members of Olubadan Advisory Council, Mogajis and Baales to permanently get rid of the menace of land grabbing.

He sought assistance while playing host to the Commissioner of Police in the state, Compol Adebola Hamzat during his familiarization visit to the palace alongside some of the members of the top echelon of the Command.

Oba Balogun remarked that for the ongoing efforts of the traditional institution at waging war against the land-grabbing menace to be successful, there must be synergy between both parties (the traditional institution and the police).

Olubadan, who spoke through his ‘Baba Kekere’, Sen. Kola Balogun at the programme which had in attendance some of the Mogajis led by their President-General, Chief Asimiyu Adepoju Ariori said the commitment of his reign to the total eradication of the cankerworm could not be compromised, hence his request for all hands to be on deck.

“I’m passionate about ensuring that the unwholesome tag of Ibadan being notorious for land grabbing be permanently removed. Let everybody desirous of owing land in Ibadan be free to do so without let or hindrance. A code of conduct is already in place that any of my Baales or Mogajis found getting involved in shady land deal would be removed and I seek for your cooperation as law enforcement agents”, the monarch added.

Olubadan also praised the police for the efforts made so far to track down the culprits behind the dastard murder of a young and newly inducted Nurse, whose corpse was found at Oke-Sapati junction, Yemetu in the ancient metropolis during the week with a charge to them not to relent until the truth about the incident manifests and the offenders face the music.

Compol Hamzat in his remark assured Kabiyesi of the commitment of his Command to work with the traditional institution as being requested noting that the same issue of land grabbing was part of his discussions with the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, FNSE immediately arrived the State and was assured by the governor that his administration was working to strengthen the law against the land-grabbing menace.

The governor, according to the police boss acknowledged that though, the state had a law in place that deals with the issue but it had since been discovered that it was too weak and had not been effective as it should be, saying, “the governor made it known that the necessary amendment to make the law strong to deal decisively with the problem was being made.

“This, to us in the Command is cheering and enabling. When we have in place an enabling law that empowers us to work optimally, we will be motivated. So, with the new law coming as promised by the governor, I can assure our revered father that his wish for a city free of land-grabbing menace is almost in place. We are happy too that we can rely on Your Majesty for advice, counselling and support at all times as you have been doing over the years. The people own us and we are being paid from their taxes to work for them and this I pledge on behalf of the Command to continually do conscientiously,” the Oyo Police boss said.