A registered surveyor, Taiwo Faleti has petitioned Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun over land grabbing allegedly perpetrated by a traditional ruler, Oba Lawrence Adisa Odeyinka in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area (LGA).
The petition comes barely a few days after another traditional ruler (name withheld) in the same LGA was arraigned in court on alleged illegal land acquisition running into millions of Naira
In the petition filed by his lawyer, Abdul Qadri Alatishe, Faleti of 4, Leme Abiola Aay, Abeokuta, accused the monarch of encroaching, trespassing and in the act of land grabbing.
The copies of the petition have equally been forwarded to Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Secretary to the State Government, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the state Commissioner of Police, and Alake of Egbaland.
Alatishe alleged threat to life of his client, adding that the traditional ruler, as at the time of filing the petition had used bulldozer to cut down trees on the one acre of land and converted the complainant’s truck loads of granite
The petition to the governor read: “We act as solicitors to Mr. Taiwo Faleti, a registered surveyor of number 4, Leme, Abiola Way, Abeokuta (hereinafter referred to as our client) on whose behalf we write this petition.
“Our client informed us and we verily believe him that one Oba Lawrence Adisa Odeyinka is currently encroaching, trespassing and engaging in the act of land grabbing on his one acre of land situated along Abata/Siun Village Road at Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
“This, he is doing, after our client has reported his earlier trespassed, including his threats to lives of our client, his workmen and one surveyor Adegbola Kamoru, which was reported to the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Eleweran; Attorney General of Ogun State; Solicitor General of Ogun State; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy; Ogun State Task Force on illegalities; including your good office, sir.
“He is currently using bulldozer to cut down our client’s trees on the one actre of land and converted our client’s truck loads of granite, stone dust, setting sand about 1000 blocks, 30 fencing poles and 22 beacons despite being called to three meetings by the office of the Attorney General a few months ago, but he never attended the meetings.
‘Complained has been made to the officer in charge of Ogun Sate Task Force on illegalities but to the surprise of our client, the officer exhibited an act of bias and unfair treatment of our client on the case because the attitude of the officer in charge connotes that he is the power behind the illegal activities of the so-called Oba Lawrence Adisa Odeyinka to invade the land and bulldozed the corner pieces and all other materials placed on the land”.
The counsel, from A. H. Adesanya Broad Field Chambers, passionately urged the governor to intervene in the matter urgently, stressing that injustice to one is an injustice to all.
Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, all efforts to reach the traditional ruler was unsuccessful. But a palace source said he was not interested in talking to the media on the matter
