A Magistrate Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun state, on Friday remanded two Baales (village heads) and four others in Ibara correctional centre for allegedly encroaching on a land belonging to the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC).
The accused are standing trial for allegedly encroaching on the 24.253 hectares of land, located at Olorunsogo village, Oba road in Obafemi Owode local government area of the state.
The suspects are: Olalekan Odemuyiwa (Baale of Agejo village), Segun Konigbagbe (Baale of Ake village).
Others are: Wasiu Ogunsina, Kabiru Olafenwa, Babatunde Odemuyiwa and Dare Awodele.
Magistrate Morenikeji Osibajo ordered that the accused be remanded in correctional centre for 30 days pending the issuance of legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecution, as well as the filling of information paper of the high court if the need arises.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector, Adekanmi Adeusi, attached to Task Force and Anti-Land Grabbing Unit had told the court that the matter was reported through a petition by the management of OGBC to the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) on June 19, 2023.
Adeusi stated that the “land grabbers” entered the land belonging to OGBC, sold and developed some parts, thereby preventing them from using the said land.
In view of this, management of the corporation had called for steps to retrieve the land from grabbers and prevent the loss of the entire land to the illegal occupants.
Magistrate Osibajo, however, adjourned the case to August 15, 2023.
