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Family sues Amosun, others over land

By Yetunde Ayobami Ojo
04 April 2019   |   4:22 am
For alleged encroachment into the family land of approximately 339,178 hectares situated at Gan-un Village in Ifo Council of Ogun State, the Balogun Oko-Osi/Olubete royal family of Gan-un has instituted a suit against the governor, Ibikunle Amosun.

[FILES] Ogun State governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun

For alleged encroachment into the family land of approximately 339,178 hectares situated at Gan-un Village in Ifo Council of Ogun State, the Balogun Oko-Osi/Olubete royal family of Gan-un has instituted a suit against the governor, Ibikunle Amosun.

The governor was dragged to Ogun State High Court sitting in Ota alongside the attorney-general and some other unidentified persons as defendants in the suit. The traditional ruler of Gan-un town, Chief Babatunde Adenekan, and the head of Balogun family, Chief Nureni Farombi, sued on behalf of the family as first and second defendants.

The claimants alleged that Amosun had on September 1, 2018 erected a signpost ceding the land to the state government, warning that “trespassers will be prosecuted.” Expressing dismay on the action of the governor, the family noted that all overtures towards getting him to understand that the land belongs to them were unsuccessful. 

They claimed not to have sold or consented to sell the land.“We were never at any time aware or put in the know or on notice of the interest of any defendant, either on grounds of compulsory acquisition, purchase, allocation or however adverse and or superior title that would have warranted the right to lay claim of ownership to any portion of the land.”

In their statement, the claimants averred that they were the rightful owners of the landed property measuring approximately 339,178 hectares (838,109 acres). “The land has devolved by inheritance from our ancestors who had been in possession and ownership from time immemorial and exercising every act of control on the land.”

They are, therefore, asking the court to award them N2 million per plot as general damages against the defendants, who are yet to file their defence.The matter has not been assigned.

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