Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Agbeje Family of Fowowawo Village, near Magbon Etido in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, has petitioned the offices of the Minister of Defence and the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF) over the use of naval personnel by land grabbers to terrorise the community.
In the petitions written on behalf of the family by solicitors, Manasseh Ehile and Company, dated May 4th, 2021, said the naval personnel led by an officer invaded the village on May 1st, abducted three members of the Agbeje family and locked them inside a container in the bush.
According to the petitioners, the Agbeje Family had obtained judgment in a land suit against the Alabi Taiwo, progenitor of the Ogunleyes in 1993, part of which it sold 10 Acres to one Alhaja Awawu Gidado for the purpose of mining and sand dredging.
They added that another judgement was delivered by the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, on April 20, 2015, in favour of the Agbeje Family, reaffirming its ownership of the land.
The family stated further that since its loss in court, the Alabi Family via Sufi Taiwo Ogunleye, Ayinde Ogunleye and Adisa Ogunleye, had sought the help of the naval personnel stationed at Arepo, to abduct members of the Agbeje family members, aiding forcible entry on the judgment land, harass, intimidate and assault resident of Fowowawo Village.
They added in the petitions that the naval officers and members of the Ogunleye family have been engaging in illegal dredging of sand and destruction of farmlands.
The petitioners said that one Nurudeen Adenekan, a member of Agbeje Family, who was abducted sometimes in 2019 by some naval officers, was brutally assaulted and eventually died due to the internal injuries he suffered during the assault.
They stated that despite the affidavits of undertaking sworn to, by the duo of Taiwo Sufianu Ogunleye and Waliu Babalola, before a Magistrate Court, in December 2020, not to step on the judgment land and cause mayhem, they had led the military officers to sack Fowowawo Village four times between March and April.
The petitioners, therefore, appealed to the offices of the Defence Minister and that of the Secretary to the Government of Federation, to intervene in matter and save the villagers from atrocities being perpetrated by the naval personnel.