A Councillor, Seriki Idris and two others, on Tuesday were brought before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, charged with illegal land grabbing and encroachment.
A councillor representing Ward 8, Onireke, Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State, Seriki is facing trial along with Adebayo Lateef, 25, and Jimoh Lateef, 30.
The three men are each facing seven-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, assault, malicious damage, land grabbing illegal encroachment and breach of peace.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants allegedly committed the offences by encroaching on piece of land belonging to an Ibadan-based Lawyer, Mr Olusegun Abayomi.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Akeem Akinloye told the court that the defendants on 2 February, forcefully and illegally encroached on the real property of Nigerian Railway Corporation leased Abayomi.
Akinloye said that the defendants threatened violence for the purpose of grabbing the land, and damaged the property.
‘The defendants assaulted one Oluwatoyin Adegoke Esq by slapping, punching and pointed gun at her.
‘The defendants stole electrical wire, fittings and other electrical materials valued at over N10 million, property of Abayomi’, he said.
The prosecutor further alleged that the defendants also stole several lengths of rails, associated fittings, steel sleepers, signals and telecommunication poles, property of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
He said that the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by preventing Abayomi from entering his property, an offence committed at Railway landed property, Ago – Tailor (Mile 110) area, Odo – Ona, Ibadan.
He said that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 383, 249 (D) 390 (9), 351, 451 and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.
Akinloye said the offence also contravene Sections 7 and 9 of Oyo State Nigeria Real Properties Protection Law 2016.
The Defence counsel, Mr Martin Achugbue, asked the court to grant his clients bail in liberal terms.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi, admitted the defendants to N7.5 million bail each with two sureties each in like sum.
Ogunkanmi said that one of the sureties must be a landed property owner possessing a Certificate of Occupancy and survey plan, while the other must be a blood relative of the defendants.
She, thereafter, adjourned the matter until 16 April, for hearing.
