Abdul Tijani, Lagos
Pa Solomon Odutola, head of the Akowonwado family, has cried out to IGP Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police and CP Lanre Ogunlowo, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police for immediate intervention and rescue from Men of the Agbara Area Police Command, led by CSP Olushola Oniyiku, Divisional Police Officer, DPO of Atan Police Division and Insp. Longe Richard of the same Division who carried out an early morning invasion of Saari, Erinle and Okiki-Ilu villages in the Atan area of Ogun State, with suspected group of land grabbers on Monday.
The Officers who were said to be shooting sporadically, went around the villages looking for members of the family over land matters that was judged in their favour by a valid Supreme Court judgement in 2014, making the family members to flee the sight of the invading policemen.
Pa Solomon stressed that family members had to run for dear lives on Monday, because of the several arrests, detentions, injuries that has kept many of them hospitalized and in prison remands, prompting some elderly women in the villages to protest nakedly, expressing their bitterness over the incessant troubling of Men of the Atan Police Division.
Chief Elijah Adeogun, the Akogun of Saari Village and a Principal member of the family while corroborating the assertions of Pa Solomon, said the Akowonwado family are the rightful owners of the disputed land, comprising seven Villages of; Oko-omi, Saari, Erinle, Okiki-Ilu, Ilasa, Akinleye and Ore-Akinde .
Speaking further, Adeogun said, "our Awori fathers engaged in legal battles on the disputed lands with the Egbas' who are mere visitors on the land between 2002-2005, which dragged to the Supreme Court where the Akowonwado family got judgement in their favour against Akinde and his supporters who are Egbas, after that Supreme Court judgement, one Pa Adisa Odutola, Jide Talabi and others proceeded to Ota High Court, Agbara, where we obtained an enrollment order, delivered on July 21, 2015 by Justice Olusanya O. S.
The judgement is sequent to several litigations instigated by the Akore family before the Supreme Court judged on the matter on suit number SC 259/2001 on 21st of May 2004 as lacking evidence of ownership or entitlement by the Salako and Akore Families which were natives of Abeokuta in Ogun State. The community lands in contest, however is situated on Awori-land at Atan Community, So the question of their ownership was blatantly refuted by the court of law to the levels of Supreme Court in 2004." He revealed.
He added that the claims of displacement and forceful possession by the Akowonwado families, comprising seven villages of; Ilasa, Oko-Omi, Okikilu, Erinle, Ore, Akinleye and Saari villages as mentioned above was taken over following a warrant of possession given to the Akowonwado family by the Ota High Court, Agbara, the with document (HCA/30/2015) Enrollment Order, Warrant Of possession and Form ‘O’ which stands for certificate of execution and warrant of possession on the contended lands respectively.
According to Akogun, the possession execution was carried out by Nigeria Police and the bailiffs from the court without any detractors whatsoever, involving the Ogun State Police Command, (Eleweran Ops), the Sango Area Police Command, the Onipanu Divisional Police Command and the Atan Divisional Police Command in the possession execution in November 17, 2015." He added.
Chief Akogun affirmed that the Bailiff from the High Court gave them a certificate of occupancy and warrant of possession form 'A' on the 17, November 2015, with Survey plan number 118/84 for the purpose of total possession of the land.
Akogun asserted therefore that all these relevant documents affirms the genuine ownership of the disputed land by the Akowonwado family, calling on the Inspector General of Police, IGP. Kayode Egbetokun, the AIG in-charge of Zone 2 and the Ogun State Commissioner of Police to deliver the Akowonwado family from the incessant attacks from the DPO of Atan Police station and should be questioned about his special interest on the land matter, why is he one-sided and disregarding apparent court orders and judgements.
He wondered why would the DPO of Atan Divisional Command turn the legally settled property into a sort of his Police barrack, bringing his men there daily along with members of the Salako and Akore family that the judgement ruled against to terrorise the Akowonwado family.
After hearing from the Akowonwado family, DAILY INDEPENDENT, made a call to; ACP. Folashade Tenaruwo, Area Commander, Agbara Area Command, CSP. Olushola Oniyiku, DPO Atan Police Station, Insp. Longe Richard and SP. Omotola Odutola, the Ogun State PPRO over the matter and all averred that Policemen were deployed there on Monday to forestall suspected clashes between the Akowonwado family and the opposing party, to forestall it from degenerating and disrupting public peace in the affected villages, while the Police Officers added that, it is within the responsibility of the Police to intervene in such situations and the State Commissioner of Police is aware of the deployment.
Chief Akogun however said there is nothing of such, saying the matter is presently being handled by the IGP owing to a petition written to the IGP by the Akowonwado family and the IGP had directed the DIG Area 10 in the Force headquarters, Abuja to handle the matter, prompting the DIG to commence investigationd into the matter, leading to a summon of both parties to a meeting in the FCT, scheduled for Wednesday 11, 2025, with a call for all parties to maintain status quo till the outcome of the Abuja meeting with the DIG.
"It is therefore an affront on the DIG's order for the DPO Atan Police Station to have marched his men to that land under any guise, leading to hapless old women to strip themselves naked in protest to the over bearing attitude of Men his men.
Explaining further, Pa Solomon said , "We are rudely shocked when we had of another invasion from Men of Atan Police Division today in total disregard of the recent filling for an order for the enforcement of our fundamental rights at High Court of Ogun State in the Ota Judicial Division Holden at Ota on 15, May, 2025, restraining the Ogun State Police Headquarters, Agbara Area Command and Atan Police Station from further arrests and high-handedness against our family members."
According to him, "owing to the wanton and incessant arrests of members of the Akowonwado family over land legitimately owned by us and affirmed through several valid Court judgements, we decided to approach the High Court in Ota to aver that these actions of the Ogun State Police Command, especially the Agbara and Atan Police Commands are a violation of our fundamental rights to personal liberty, dignity of the human person and freedom of movements as guaranteed in various sections of the Nigerian constitution.
"In the application we declared that the actions of these Policemen in effecting arrests, harassment, threats of further arrests and detentions against our family without lawful justification and subsisting court judgments is an abuse of power and a breach or likely breach of our fundamental human rights to fair hearing and right to immovable property as guaranteed under Section 36 and 43 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
"That as lawful possessors of the Akowonwado family land pursuant to a valid court judgment, are entitled to peaceful enjoyment of their property without interference, harassment, or intimidation by the Nigeria Police as guaranteed under Section 43 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
"Thirdly, our family's right to the immovable property known as Akowonwado Family Land, consisting of Erinle, Okikilu and Saari Villages compulsorily acquired and taken possession of by the Agbara and Atan Police Station is contrary to the manner and purposes prescribed by law and therefore is a gross contravention and a breach of the fundamental right of our family." Pa Solomon explained.
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