The Kalejaiye family in Ogun State has lamented what they termed the illegal takeover of their farmland in Ogere area of the state by those they described as land grabbers, in cahoots with some Chinese nationals.
According to the family, the farmland was purchased in the 1970s and they relied on the proceeds of processing palm oil from the farm for many years.
Speaking with Sunday Special on behalf of the family, Mr Leke Kalejaiye, said the farmland was taken over by land grabbers who proceeded to clear all the palm trees on the land with bulldozers.
He added that the land grabbers had enlisted military men to resist their attempts to reclaim their land despite having a Certificate of Occupancy.
Kalejaiye said, “We processed and obtained the C of O in 2013, but on July 18, I got a call from some workers on the farm that some people had brought in tractors and were clearing the farm.
“At first, I thought maybe they had land survey or development issues, but I later realised that they knew what they were doing. I reported the case to the Ogere police station and they invited them to the station. These men don’t have a title deed to the land, and I showed them my documents. In spite of police intervention and orders to stop working on the land, these men continued.
“These men destroyed our farmland and I returned to the police but they denied me. It was then I reported at Zone 2 and the AIG ordered some arrests. When we got there, we saw that the land grabbers had sold the land to some Chinese nationals building a factory on it and they were being protected by military men who resisted us.”
When contacted, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, denied knowledge of the report. “Thanks for reaching out. I’m sorry to say this; I’m not aware of this report,” she stated.
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