Osun: Kelebe-Omu land owners cry out to govt over unlawful land acquisition by Nigerian Army

VOICE AIR MEDIA, VAM News Update

The Kelebe-Omu land owners have called for the intervention of the Osun State Government and the Attorney General of the Federation over the unlawful possession and flagrant disobedience to judgement of Court by the men of the Nigerian Army.

They accused the Army of taking over their Land at Kelebe Area and Omu Stream in OSOGBO/OLORUNDA Local Government Area of Osun State.

Armed with placards with several inscription, the protesters stormed the palace of Ataoja, government secretariat, State Assembly to air their grievances on Tuesday.

Addressing the crowd at the Palace, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji also made the declaration that the land belong to the people, calling on the Army to vacate immediately.

“The land belongs to the people, we gave out the land to Army because we thought they wanted to use it for the benefits of the people, but we discovered they were not using it for that purpose, now we want the land back, eventhe Court has said the land should be back to the original owners.

“Now, we implore the Federal Government and State Government to tell the Army to leave the land immediately “, the Monarch explained.

 

 

Additionally, while addressing the protesters at the State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewunmi Adeyemi, a member of the Assembly told the crowd that their grievances will be attended to and there should be no cause for alarm.

He also implored them to be peaceful as they have been and the Government will address the issue.

In the letter signed by the Land owners Families, it read that “the Nigerian Army have failed to yield and give up possession of all pieces or vast expanse of land situate, lying and being at between Kelebe Area and Omu stream in Osogbo/Olorunda Local Government Area of the state, confirming that the defendants are using the acquired land for private purposes and not for public purposes for which the land was requisitioned by the Nigerian Army.

“The Court also ordered the Nigerian Army to pay N200 million to us for the destruction of our land.We attached hereto copy of the said judgement and marked Annexure A

“After the court had given its ruling, we obtained the warrant of possession of the land on 25 of April, 2023. Despite the court ruling and warrant of possession, some military personnel came to meet us on the land and started beating us. They even threatened to kill if we dare come on the land, while some military personnel still went ahead to erect pillars on said land.

“To our surprise, last week Thursday, February 8, 2024, we found some pillars suspected to be erected by the soldiers to divide the land into pieces”, it read.

Video here…

However, they appealed to the Government, Presidency and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Taoreed Lagbaja to stop men of the Nigerian Army to obey the court judgment and stop further attacks on the landowners after due execution of the judgment of the court.

Photos below…