Pandemonium averted as suspected land grabbers invade Ogun community
By Our Correspondent
No one could ever predict what could have been the outcome of the dreadful visitation of the land grabbers (omo onílè) to the house of one Mr Oluwatosin Dipeolu at 5, Lipede Street, Behind Fajol Hotel, Obantoko, Abeokuta on the 23 of June 2022.
It was gathered through our findings that his absence was met, unknown to them, he had travelled already.
That day, we witnessed an abrupt visitation of a small group consisting of five people who were vehement in their demands of Mr Oluwatosin Dipeolu Samson in what appeared to be a mission to wreak havoc on him if what they seek is not given.
Frustrated by their waiting without any notable results, they resorted to destroying properties around the house such that his wife and children were smuggled out of the house to avoid transfer of aggression on them.
The land grabbers came brandishing machetes, clubs and bottles to wreak havoc on him and one of them could be heard saying “God saved that boy! Had it been that we met him at home, s’opé ó tilo nìyen”, meaning that if they meet him at home, he will be a goner (dead).
The cause of this incident is not unconnected to the insistence of Mr Oluwatosin Dipeolu to protect his family inheritance, a parcel of land of about 15 acres situated at Makun, Sagamu, Ogun state. Mr Oluwatosin Dipeolu maintained a hard stance on this as he could not allow anyone to take over his family inheritance forcefully and illegally from him.
‘Tosin Dipeolu is the eldest son of Late Chief Oluwasegun Dipeolu – who died in a ghastly motor accident in 2010 – is said to be the major signatory to all the documents relating to the land matters and other properties that belong to his father.
It was also gathered that before his father’s death, he had obtained a certificate of occupancy (C of O) for the land and he did this secretly, a situation that prompted his uncle, Chief Sanusi Dipeolu who is hell-bent on selling parts of the land to be on his pursuit.
Speaking to our correspondent, a source told him that the uncle had already collected some payments from unsuspecting members of the public, promising to sell lands to them but could not obtain the necessary documents to complete the land sales until ‘Tosin Dipeolu released those documents and append his signature.
‘Tosin Dipeolu, before his travelling, had been summoned by his uncle and the head of the family, Chief Sanusi Dipeolu, to append his signatures appropriately to the documents and should make them available so that they can obtain the necessary statutory papers for the land which unknown to him, Mr Tosin Dipeolu had done secretly. This move was suspicious to Tosin Dipeolu and he stoutly resisted this move. This didn’t sit well with the family head as well hence, he needs the documents and eliminates Tosin Dipeolu so that he can have total control of the land.
The uncle, therefore, arranged for thugs to get these documents from him by any means possible.
A source told our correspondent that the issues of land grabbers pose a serious threat to the residents of the community and the state at large despite several laws made to halt their operations. It could have been another disaster in the community had they met Mr Oluwatosin Dipeolu at home.
Ogun State police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi said the menace of the land grabbers and speculators has been giving police sleepless nights and he promised that police will not relent on its oars in dealing with the situation decisively.
