Land Grabbing: Group Petitions IGP Against Conniving Police Officers

The Muslim Initiative on Right and Justice (MIRAJ), a human right organisation, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, to ensure that land grabbers conniving with some suspected Police officers are brought to justice for their nefarious activities. 

The National Amir of MIRAJ, Adeniyi Adams, gave the charge in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Ado Odo-Ota, Ogun State. 

Adams alleged that some land grabbers in the state have been invading villages among which is the Oluwanishola community to carry out their illegal activities without the knowledge of the community and land owners.

He said that some grabbers amid them were also given Powers of Attorney by communities on lands as trusted agents to help them sell their properties not knowing they were among those perpetuating such acts.

"Some land agents started selling lands without remittance of any money to the owners and also using thugs and area boys to harass original owners.

"The villagers concluded in revoking the power of attorney giving to them because of such malicious and fictitious activities," Adams said.

According to him, the case was taken to the Ogun State High Court after the land agents kept threatening their lives for unjust reasons and revoking the power of attorney given to them.

"The case was taken to the court and they were arrested and later released on bail while the community frowned against the investigation carried out by the police."

He said that the community wrote a petition to the Force Criminal Intelligence Investigative Department (FCIID) in Abuja with the case file taking to Abuja but no tangible result to the investigation carried out. 

"We noticed some foot dragged and the actions of the police officers our case file was with and the way they wrapped up the matter without due process."

MIRAJ called on necessary authorities including the IGP, the state governor, House of Assembly members among others to addressed the issue before it leads to lost of lives and properties.

Adams, however, said the IGP should intervene for proper and radical investigation of the matter by his intellectual team of police officers for justice to take it course on any land grabbers conniving with police officers.