The Ileke ruling family of Osuke in Ogun State has decried the murder of one Saheed Jinadu Shoboyede by a notorious land grabber.

The family also accused the grabber of injuring two other persons and unleashing terror in the community in attacks last week.

At a press conference in Lagos, elders of the family lamented their inability to get justice from the police, calling on the Inspector-General (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun and Ogun State Government to probe the resurgence of violence in order to prevent further bloodshed.

According to the family, Shoboyede, a father of four, was killed by thugs led by the land grabber last Thursday.

The thugs, the family alleged, stormed the community armed with guns and machetes and opened fire which made locals scamper to safety. The family, which said they had written petitions to the Ogun State Commissioner of Police (CP), Speaker, House of Assembly, Attorney-General and Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) Zone 2, lamented that attacks orchestrated by known individuals continue to threaten their safety and violate court rulings that affirmed their ownership of the disputed land.

Speaking on behalf of the family, their lawyer, Olanrewaju Balogun, said the community had become a flashpoint of violence for armed groups. He decried the attacks, police intimidation, and threats from rival factions determined to take control of the area despite the family’s victory at the state High Court and Court of Appeal which asserted their ownership of the disputed land.

“The police in Ogun State have been compromised. We demand an independent and thorough investigation into the killing of our brother, Saheed Jinadu Shoboyede. If no action is taken, more innocent lives will be lost,” the family alleged in the petition to the AIG Zone 2.

The Ileke family described the violent events that have left Osuke residents in fear.

They alleged that on February 24, armed men shot and wounded Rasak Yusuf and an excavator operator working on a road project linking Itele and Osuke.

Three days later, on February 27, another person, Shoboyede, was allegedly shot dead by the gang in daylight.

Eyewitnesses claimed that before dying, Shoboyede identified his attacker.

The family further alleged that the suspects attempted to take away his body to destroy evidence but were stopped by residents, who transported the wounded man to the Area Command Office in Sango before he succumbed to his injuries.

They also alleged that the hoodlums riddled the area with bullets, including surrounding primary schools, without a care about the lives of children.

Despite multiple reports to the police, the Ileke family said no action had been taken, adding that the Investigating Police Officer at Eleweran did not allow eye witnesses to the murder to give voluntary statements.

They expressed fears that the murderer, who had previously faced murder charges after his arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS) but was released from a detention facility following the mysterious dropping of the case against him, might again evade justice.

“We cannot afford to lose more lives. Osuke is becoming a war zone because of the unchecked activities of these individuals. If security agencies do not act swiftly, the violence will escalate, and more people will die,” the family said.

The Ileke family called on the state government to take up the case and ensure that those responsible for the killing and violent attacks were brought to justice.

“The authorities cannot continue to look away. If justice is not served, it will send a dangerous message that criminals can act with impunity while innocent families continue to suffer,” it said.

The spokesperson for Ogun Police Command, Chief Superintendent of Police Omolola Odutola confirmed the death of Shoboyede, adding that the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) was in charge of the investigation.

Odutola could not confirm if any suspect had been arrested in connection with the violence and murder.

Credit: thenationonlineng.net

One killed over land dispute in Ogun

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