Voice Air Media, VAM News Update
THE Kelebe-Omu Landowners Association has cautioned members of the public against buying plots of land belonging to them.
The landowners under the leadership of Chief Amodu Akanbi also called on the government to mandate greater punishment on a group of people since the issue is now in contempt of court.
The landowners association, comprising 45 family compounds in Osogbo and Olorunda local government areas of Osun State, issued this warning during a press conference held at the palace of the Ataoja, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji on Tuesday, May 28th, 2024.
Voice Air Media recalls that Kelebe-Omu Landowners in suit Number HOS/40/20, against the Attorney General of the Federation, Minister of Defence, Post-Service Housing Development Limited, the Nigeria Army and the Chief of Army Staff, alleged that the acquisition of the land by the defendants was unconstitutional and illegal.
However, the Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife presided by Justice A.O Ayoola on January 10, 2023, instructed the defendants to vacate the 3,646 acres of land belonging to Kelebe-Omu landowners and ordered them to pay a sum of N200 million to the land owners for the destruction of their land.
In response to contempt of the Court, Kelebe-Omu landowners on February 13, 2024, staged a peaceful protest to the Osun State government Secretariat and State House of Assembly to demand the intervention of both the state and federal government against the alleged lawlessness of the Nigerian Army.
At the Assembly, lawmakers promised that the issue would be looked into and a peaceful resolution arrived at.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Chief Akanbi who said there was a need for the intervention of higher authority, added that the association plans to expose the constant disobedience of the Nigerian Army to court judgements and the rule of law.
“Despite the Court judgment in our favour, the defendant, Nigerian Army, in the case of disputed land situated at Kelebe-Omu area has embarked on contempt of the Court four consecutive times within fifteen months.
“As we speak, the Post-Service Housing Development Limited incorporated by the Nigerian Army to manage the said land is selling it plot-by-plot with the sum of N7.5 million for 500sqm and N15 million for 1000sqm to private individuals upon purchase of a Post-Service Housing Scheme Military Application Form for N10,000 from its Osogbo office.
“Recently, the defendant, “POST-SERVICE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT LIMITED” Incorporated by the Nigerian Army to manage the land placed an advertorial banner to continue the unlawful layout of the land into the residential estate and sold same plot-by-plot to private individuals upon purchase of a Post-Service Housing Scheme Military Application Form for a fee.
“The said company, in the name of the Nigerian Army, had been issuing permits at agreed prices to members of the public for sand/gravel digging and haulage; construction of fish ponds; farming camps; hewing and haulage of firewood; palm oil prospecting, collection of levies, ‘Isakole’ (tributes) like oil, palm-wine, yams and kola nuts; felling of trees and sawmilling them into timber logs and planks; destruction of kola nut and palm trees within the said land.
“As we speak, if any of you sitting here wants to buy land from the Nigerian Army for your private or commercial use, it would be sold to you illegally by the agent of the Nigerian Army. Our land is being sold plot-by-plot in the sum of N7.5 million for 500sqm and N15 million for 1000sqm to private individuals upon purchase of a Post-Service Housing Scheme Military Application Form for N10,000 from its Osogbo office including a non-refundable processing fee of N100,000 and N150,000 respectfully into a Zenith bank account number 1013309582.”
However, in an earlier reaction, the Nigerian Army said it has appealed the judgment ordering the service to relinquish possession of 3,646 acres of land located between the Kelebe area and Omu Stream in Osogbo/Olorunda Local Government Areas of Osun State.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement in February 2024, said the service has filed an appeal to overturn the high court decision in Osun at the Akure Division of the Court of Appeal.
Onyema maintained that following the appeal, all parties are advised to maintain the status quo till the appellate court delivers its verdict on the matter.
The Ataoja of Osogbo land, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji in his appeal called on the state and federal governments to intervene to forestall protests and unnecessary violence.
He also reiterated the earlier warning that interested parties should refrain from buying any part of the disputed land as doing so would be in contempt of court.
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