It would be recalled that the Baale Idiya, Chief Quadri Kudaisi who is also a family member of the suspect, Lateef Kehinde Kudaisi was taken to court on the same matter on July 10 following petition over allegation of land grabbing at Oloparun village Rounder in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The police arrested the traditional ruler after multiple petitions were submitted to the Ogun State Special Task Force Committee on Anti-Land Grabbing and the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) at the State headquarters of the Nigerian Police, Eleweran.
On Wednesday, July 10, 2024 the police took the Baale to the Magistrate Court, Isabo for charges related to allegation of land grabbing in violation of Ogun State Anti-Land Grabbing Law.
The case has drawn attention following a petition submitted by Jamiu Folarin, a journalist and researcher over the matter. Folarin’s petition, initially filed at the Sabo/Ilupeju police station, highlighted threats to his life and malicious damage to his property.
He attributed the threat to his life and malicious damage to his property to the investigation he conducted as journalists on criminal activities of land grabbers in Ogun State. The case was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) at Eleweran.
BudgIT, a civic organisation also wrote the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, calling for investigation of the matter leading to the threat to life and malicious damage to the property of one of its 2023 GovSpend Media Fellows, Jamiu Folarin.
Similarly, the Crescent University Cooperative Society (CRESCOOPS) also petitioned the Land Grabbing Committee over allegation of land grabbing against the Baale.
*The Case Against the Suspected Land Grabbers*
Meanwhile, the police has finalised plans to charge the suspects, Chief Quadri Kudaisi, the Baale of Idiya and Kehinde Lateef Kudaisi, on five count charges.
According to the charge sheet seen by journalists, the count one is related to allegation against the suspects who “conspire to commit felony and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Law, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.”
The Count 2 reads: “That you Kehinde Lateef ‘m’ of No 3, L & K Kudaisi house, Idiya Rounder, Abeokuta, and others now still at large between 1st January 2023 to June 2024 along Oloparun village Igbo Ora road, Abeokuta, Ogun State in the Abeokuta Magisterial District damaged Teak Trees, Cashew trees and other Crop trees valued at Five Million Naira Only (N5,000,000.00K) properties of one Mr. Samuel Olusegun Adeogun and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code Law, Laws of Ogun State.”
The Count 3 of the case with charge number: MA/36 P.J/2024 bothers on placing “landgrabbers on 23 acres of land situate at Oloparun village Igbo Ora road, Abeokuta, Ogun State in the Abeokuta…and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 6(1) of Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Properties, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Cultism and Other Anti-Violence and Other Related Offences Law of Ogun State, 2016.”
The Count 4 reads in part:”…without lawful authority used violence for the purpose of securing entry into 23 acres of land situated at Oloparun village Igbo Ora road, Abeokuta, Ogun State in the Abeokuta..."
While Count 5 concluded and reads in part: “….forcefully take-over 23 acres of land belonging to Mr Samuel Olusegun Adeogun and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 3(1)(2) of Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Properties, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Cultism and Other Anti-Violence and Other Related Offences Law of Ogun State, 2016.”
Governor Dapo Abiodun administration, in August 2023, set up a 10-man Special Task Force Committee to deal with land-related issues occasioned by improper and incomplete legal documentation, land encroachment, and land grabbing in the state.
The state House of Assembly also amended relevant sessions of the anti land grabbing law to meet recent realities that would exclusively deal with the activities of land grabbers by prescribing appropriate stiff punishment for offenders.
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