The Ogun State House of Assembly has called upon the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to urgently investigate reports of illegal arrests and detentions of innocent residents within the state on fabricated charges, allegedly orchestrated by the police in collaboration with suspected land grabbers.
During a plenary session, Speaker Olakunle Oluomo made this appeal, highlighting the prevalence of land-grabbing incidents reported by lawmakers in their respective constituencies. These concerns were raised as part of the discussion on the second reading of the State Anti-land Grabbing (amendment) bill.
Oluomo emphasized that numerous innocent residents in the state have been unjustly detained in police cells at Alagbon in Lagos and the Force Headquarters in Abuja. He attributed these detentions to the collusion between land grabbers and certain security agents, resulting in innocent members of the public suffering from false charges.
The Speaker called on the Inspector General of Police to intervene and ensure that innocent individuals are not subjected to fabricated charges. He also suggested that any land-related matters should be taken to court. Additionally, Oluomo mentioned that the proposed amendment to the bill, titled “Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Properties, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Cultism, Violence, and Other Related Offenses (Amendment) Law, 2023,” would establish a task force by the State Government to address land-related issues.
Hon. Damilola Soneye, the bill’s sponsor, expressed his concerns about the increasing incidence of land-grabbing in the state, underscoring the need for the amendment to enhance the law’s effectiveness.
Other lawmakers, including Deputy Speaker Bolanle Ajayi, Minority Leader Olalekan Adeleye, and several others, acknowledged the detrimental impact of land grabbers on the state’s peace, progress, and development. They stressed the importance of taking comprehensive measures to address this menace.
Furthermore, the Assembly announced that it had received a list of ten additional commissioner nominees from Governor Dapo Abiodun. These new nominees would undergo screening by lawmakers at a scheduled session. The nominated individuals include Hon. Adeleye-Oladapo Adijat, Engr. Taiwo Oludotun, Mr. Sofela Adebola Emmanuel, Hon. Ilori-Oduntan Olufemi, Engr. Dairo Oluwagbenga, Hon. Owootomo Bolu, Mr. Oresanya Oladimeji, Hon. Balogun Ademola, Mr. Osunbiyi Tunde, and Mr. Fagbayi Sesan.
