Tension as ‘Land Grabbers’ Invade Ibadan Community with Bulldozer

By Nurat Uthman

There is tension and anxiety in Atere community in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State as people believed to be land grabbers/prospectors entered the community armed with a bulldozer and a 1988 court judgement ostensibly to reclaim portions of land.

On Monday, April 15th, the land prospectors had invaded the community brandishing a 1988 court judgement which they said gave them authority over the land. 

The invaders, whom sources said included armed policemen, had marked people’s homes and sundry property and had  threatened to demolish them allegedly based on the contents of the said court judgement. 

Atere community is after Kasumu, off Tipper Garage area of Akala Expressway in Ibadan city.  

Chairman of the residents association of the affected community, formerly known as Itesiwaju Ilugusi Bello Community, Mr. Abiodun Bolarinwa, told Nigerian Tribune that the matter had been reported to the police and at the Office of the Oyo State Commissioner for Lands through its Committee on such matters. 

Bolarinwa said they had not been given a date to hear their matter and expressed the hope that they would sort out the issues amicably as they were not troublemakers. 

However, on Tuesday morning 23 April, the residents of the Atere community raised the alarm that the land prospectors had returned with a bulldozer which was being allegedly used to demolish people’s fences. 

They called on the Oyo State government to come to their rescue, saying the matter was becoming worrisome.