The Ogun State House of Assembly urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate the alleged unlawful detention and imprisonment of innocent state residents on trumped-up charges by the police in collusion with some suspected land speculators in the state on Tuesday.
The Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, made the appeal in the middle of a discussion over the second reading of a measure to reform the state’s anti-land grabbing laws while legislators alternately reported widespread instances of land snatching in their separate districts. This was said in a statement made by Lawal Jamiu, the state assembly’s director of information.
Oluomo stated that because land speculators colluded with some security personnel to target innocent members of the public, hundreds of innocent state citizens have continued to languish in the various prison facilities of the police, both at Alagbon in Lagos and the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
He requested the IG intervene in order to prevent innocent people from suffering as a result of false accusations.
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He suggested that any land-related disputes be brought up in court and assured that the state government would create a task force to handle land-related issues under the new amendment to the law known as H. B. No. 006/OG/2023: Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Properties, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Cultism, Violence, and Other Related Offences (Amendment) Law, 2023.
The bill’s proponent, Hon. Damilola Soneye, noted earlier that land snatching had become a widespread problem in the state, necessitating the revision to make the law more effective and efficient.
Other lawmakers, including Minority Leader Olalekan Adeleye, Deputy Speaker Bolanle Ajayi, Waliu Owode, Olusegun Odunuga, Wasiu Ayodele, Fola Salami, Oluseun Adesanya, and Babatunde Tella, stated that the activities of the land grabbers have been affecting the state’s peace, development, and progress, necessitating the need for a comprehensive strategy to combat the problem.
The Assembly added that Governor Dapo Abiodun had also given it a list with the names of ten additional commissioner candidates.
According to a press statement from the Clerk/Head of Legislative Service, Mr Deji Adeyemo, the parliamentarians would review the fresh nominations today at 2 o’clock sharp.
The new nominees are Mr. Sofela Adebola Emmanuel, Hon. Ilori-Oduntan Olufemi, Engr. Taiwo Oludotun, Hon. Owootomo Bolu, Mr. Oresanya Oladimeji, Hon. Balogun Ademola, Mr. Osunbiyi Tunde, and Mr. Fagbayi Sesan.
