Residents of Feru, a community in Ota, have protested against what they termed, ‘incessant attacks and harassment from the men of Nigerian Police Force’ who according to them, ‘were acting under the instruction of one Gbenga Ibuoye over a land matter in the area’.
The residents, who appeared terrified and carrying placards with various inscriptions such as; ‘Gbenga Ibuoye must Go, Save Our Community, Police, Stop Harassing Us In Osuke’, and so on, told Olota that Ibuoye has turned Feru to a battle field since a couple of days, ‘harassing’ and ‘terrorizing’ the community over a land matter and that they are helpless as some of them had vacated their homes for fear of being attacked.
According to one of the Residents of Feru who spoke with VOA News Correspondent under the condition of anonymity, allayed fear of being victimized by Ibuoye if his identity is revealed. He said that Ibuoye was initially invited to the community by Odunfa family to assist them grade their road with the agreement of conceding just 15 acres from their land to him; later on, Falola family also joined in the agreement but Ibuoye has not respected the agreement of the 15 acres that was conceded to him in the agreement, instead, he hs encroached on virtually all the lands in Feru, threatening them with Police and court cases.
He has arrested and unlawfully detained with the aid of some law enforcement agencies, the likes of Idowu, Shoko, among several others; but will not wait until the court rules either in his favour or in our favour before he started harassing us with different law enforcement agencies. As I speak with you, feru town has been besieged by very dangerous looking Policemen and we are left with no choice than to flee our ancestral home because he is connected.
Ibuoye has over-dredged our land and it is no longer habitable, despite that fact, he is stopping at nothing until he makes the whole village his personal investment.
“We are calling on all relevant stakeholders in the community to come to our aide as our lives are no longer save”.
VOA News Correspondent also gathered that the Olota of Ota, HRM Prof. Adeyemi Obalanlege, has attempted to sue for peace in the town but Ibuoye will not want to sue for peace, hence why the save our soul protest.
While addressing the terrified residents of the town, Olota charged them to remain calm in that he will ensure that peace and tranquility returns to the town.
VOA News report that some unsuspecting land grabbers, especially in Ado-Odo/Ota local government now hide under the pretense of assisting original land owners to submit their ancestral lands with the view of developing same or assisting them to lure investors to the properties.
