Residents watched helplessly as the police and court bailiffs supervised the demolition of over twenty alleged illegal structures situated on four acres of land at Asaaju Village, Jenriyin area, in Lagelu Local Government Area over the weekend. Nigerian Tribune reports.
The demolition exercise followed a court judgement obtained by Reverend John Okudare Famodimu in Suit No. I/855/2012 against Akinade Morufu Ajayi, Mrs. Akira (née Ajayi), and other unknown persons.
The claimant had, in the suit, accused the defendants of illegal encroachment and unlawful occupation of the four acres of land.
Justice K.B. Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court No. 3, Iyaganku, Ibadan, on November 28, 2023, ruled that the claimant, Rev. John Okudare Famodimu, had proven that the defendants had trespassed on the said four acres of land.
The court found credible evidence of the claimant’s title to the land in dispute, which included the purchase of the land, a survey plan of the land, and a certified true copy of the certificate of occupancy dated October 4, 2006, registered as No. 19 at page 19, Volume 3503 of the Deed Registry at the Ibadan office.
The court declared that the defendant’s acts of trespass and the destruction/damage to the claimant’s fence foundation on the disputed land were unlawful.
The court issued a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, or privies, from further acts of trespass on the claimant’s parcel of land.
Additionally, the court awarded the claimant five million naira (N5,000,000) in general damages against the defendants for the trespass committed on his four-acre land.
Speaking shortly after the execution of the judgement and the demolition of no fewer than 20 houses, farmlands, and structures illegally built on the land, Dr Famodimu thanked God and commended the court for doing the right thing by delivering judgement in his favour in the land dispute, which lasted for over 12 years.
He also thanked the Nigerian Police, Oyo State Command, for the enforcement of the court judgement delivered on November 28, 2023.
Dr Famodimu expressed his displeasure that land grabbing has become a recurring issue in Oyo State, especially in Ibadan.
He advised the government to take proactive steps to curb the activities of land grabbers, popularly known as Omo Onile, who are disturbing genuine landowners on a daily basis.
