By Adeola Pascal
ABEOKUTA—Men of Ogun State Police Command have arrested three members of land-grabbing syndicate terrorising Gbayunre village in Ado Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi who disclosed this to newsmen in a statement in Abeokuta, said the suspects— Sunday Owoyele, 32, Idowu Ayobami, 32 and Kola Owolabi, 39, were arrested on April 4, 2023, following a petition received from Dada Gbabi family of Gbayunre village.
The family said: “That a group of land grabbers invaded their village with dangerous weapons and chased out the family from their landed property situated at Atan Ayunre area and forcefully occupied the village.
“On the strength of the petition, Oyeyemi added that the then Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, now, Assistant Inspector General of Police, directed the Deputy Commissioner in-charge of State Criminal Investigation Departments, Babakura Muhammed, to investigate the case and bring the culprits to book.
“In compliance with the CP’s directive, the D.C detailed a team of detectives to the scene, where three members of the syndicate were apprehended, while others, including their leader, who has been on the wanted list of the command in connection with series of violent land grabbing cases in Ado-Odo/Ota and its environs took to their heels.
“One of the arrested suspects, Kola Owolabi, had once been arrested for snatching a rifle from an officer, but was overpowered then, and he was subsequently charged to court and remanded in prison custody.
“Items recovered from them were assorted criminal charms and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.
Meanwhile, the command is using this medium to advise the leader of the violent gang to report himself at the State Criminal Investigation Departments, Eleweran, Abeokuta, and if he failed to do so, he should be rest assured that he will be hunted for and brought to justice.”
Oyeyemi noted that the command would not fold its arms, while some unscrupulous elements make life difficult for members of the public.
Source: Vanguard