Members of the Sun Cooperative Society Estate, at Arobieye community, have raised the alarm over alleged encroachment of their lands located at Ado Odo Ota Local Government, Ogun State.
They journalists urged the Olota of Ota, His Royal Highness, Oba Adeyemi Abdul-Kabir Obalanlege, to call the Baale of Arobieye community, Nurudeen Dada, to order, to stop re-selling their lands.
The journalists had purchased three acres of land (18 plots) at Arobieye community about 13 years ago from the then head of the Akanni family, late Chief Jacob Akanni.
After the passing of late Akanni, some family members, under the leadership of Alhaji Nurudeen Dada, the present head of Akanni family, who doubles as Baale of Arobieye, began to resell the land at N2 million per plot to new buyers.
When the Baale was confronted by the journalists, he demanded the receipt of purchase of the land, but made no effort to stop the encroachment on the property. So, while things were being sorted out between the Baale and the journalists, the new buyers were erecting structures on the land.
It was gathered that the property became noticeable after a major road linking Living Faith Church ( Winners Chapel) International Headquarters (Canaan land) with Agbara – Sango Ota road was constructed by the church besides the parcel of land.
The new road not only made the parcel of land visible to commuters, it also made the value of the land to go up, a situation that made the land grabbers, led by Dada, to take over the land and began to resell it.
Lamenting their ordeal, the journalists said the Baale simply wanted to use the increase in the value of the property, as a result of the new road that passed by it, to dispossess them of their lands. They condemned the exploitative action of the Baale in re-selling the lands without consulting them, the first buyers, who have genuine documents of Survey and Deed of Assignments from the Ogun State government and an institutionalised law firm.
They said they have every document that confirms they are the legitimate owners of the land, including survey of the land and Deed of Assignment.
The journalists lamented that despite the fact that some of them have evidence of possession of their lands, like building, corner piece and farms, the grabbers still went ahead to sell the land.
They, therefore, called on the Olota of Ota and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to prevail on the Baale to stop re-selling their lands or any form of encroachment, henceforth.