A human rights group, Save the Poor and Needy Charity Initiative (SPANCI) has appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to save the indigenes of Oloka village from some land grabbers.
The group made this appeal in a save our soul letter addressed to the governor.
The letter was made available to journalists on Friday by SPANCI President, Comrade Yemi Ezekiel Bello.
Bello in the letter which was also sent to the Chairman of Oyo State Real Property Protection and anti-land grabbing law taskforce, appealed to Makinde to save the people of Oloka village in Ikoyi in Orire local government Ogbomoso from the hand of Chief James Akande Alagbe and his peers.
He used the opportunity to appeal to Makinde to save the soul of the people of the village from the hand of the land grabbers.
Bello said, “We have the consent of the following people; Mr Adeagbo Oluwatunde, Mr Oyelami Olafimihan, Adeyinka Adeniyi, Moses Olusoji, Amos Olusoji, Benjamin Oyebamiji, Oyeleke Oyetunde, Oladele Olopa, Sunday Adesiyan, Abolarin Adesoka, Oladosu Olagboye, Ayangbade Ayangbayi, Adekola Oke hereinafter referred to as our clients to write this letter so that their rights might be protected.
“Our clients told us and we verily believe their information to be true and correct that their grand parents are indigenes of Oloka village in Ikoyi axis of Orire local government, Ogbomoso, where they also born their parents and their parents died and were buried.
“They said that their grannies and chief James’ grandpa were both hunters who came for hunting and both settled there with each one having his own land and that after their demise their children continued in the place as farmers.
“They said just few years ago when chief James became Baale, he started claiming all the land and entire Oloka village which none of the past Baale or Bale ever did but was resisted by them. They said he later went to grade C Customary Court at Gbogun to claim the land but later withdrew the suit and wrote letter to the court that he will never claim or sell any portion of their lands which is majorly used for farming but to their surprise after he sold all his father’s portion of the land, he started forcefully entering other people’s land and grabbed it and sold it.
“Our client said when he forcefully came on their land to grab and sell it, they did not agree. They said after this, he forcefully enter their land with some Bororo cattle rearers who came with much cows and maliciously damaged their economic trees and threatened to kill them if they make any attempt to refuse them.
“Our clients said to their surprise when they asked him why he without their consent brought the Bororos and cattle on their land the next thing they saw was an invitation by the men of Owode Area Command based on his frivolous petition alleging threat to live and conduct likely to cause breach of peace which is a complete falsehood. Whereas chief James is the one who his threatening their lives with death because they are not agreeing that he sell their land.
“They said he has many times forcefully entered their land with thugs and bororo who cased them and their farmers away with guns, daggers and other dangerous weapons. We believe that Chief James Akande Alagbe is a land grabber, sponsor of hooliganism and conduct likely to cause breach of peace and has unlawfully grabbed our clients land and has sold it to the Bororos who has also connived with him to kill our clients to take their land. That the frivolous petition written to the area commander was another game plan to jail our clients and take over their land and also to use police to harass them.
“We hereby write this letter on behalf of our clients to your good office to save the soul of our clients against the evil plans of chief James Akande Alagbe, his Bororos, police harassment, unlawful prosecution and untimely death or assault”.