Family Cries Out Over Detention Of Breadwinners

Family and children of Idomesan in Igbesa, Ogun State, South-West Nigeria, have cried out  over the detention and harassment of their bread winners with the intent to forcibly take  over the family land at Agbara-Sokoto Road, Igbesa Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun  State.

Those being detained include Alhaji Amusa Adenle, 80, a.k.a Molowolo (Head of Family),  Alhaji Suleiman Animashaun, 69 and Muibi Amosu, 45.

Speaking at a press conference on behalf of Idomesan Family, Barrister Prince A.E. Bamidele  said: “Our clients are the lawful owners of the parcel of land at Agbara-Sokoto road, Igbesa  (herein after called ‘the family land’) and our clients became seised of the ownership  thereof vide customary inheritance from their forefathers, who were the original settlers on  the said piece of land from time immemorial. Whilst same was transferred to their children  after the demise of their forefather.

“That they have put tenants thereon as customary tenants and have sold some parts of the  said parcel of land and there was a dispute between our clients and their customary tenants  thereon, which led to a court action at the High Court of Ogun State, Ilaro in suit No  HCL/29/83 between Asani Arawa and Ors, the plaintiffs and Nathaniel O. Ajiboso and Ors., the  defendants whereas, the judgement was entered in favour of our clients by Hon. Justice O.A.  Ajibola on 12 January, 1998 that our clients are entitled to customary rights of occupancy  of the said parcel of land.

The lawyer disclosed that a land speculator, Ismaila Fashina, trading under the name of  Appet (Nig) Ltd., who held out as an appointed agent to some unknown people started to  trespass and attempted on repeated and several occasions to covet by using unwholesome and  unorthodox means to take over possession and ownership of some parts of our clients’ land.”

According to Bamidele, “A frivolous petition by Ismaila Fashina to the Commissioner of  Police Intelligence, Force Headquarters, and our clients were invited to force headquarters,  Moloney, Lagos on Monday, 9 August, 2010 on the premises of purported false and concocted  allegation of threat to life and malicious damage.”

The case was charged to magistrate’s court 12, Ebute-Metta on 3 September, 2010 and the  accused persons pleaded not guilty and were granted bail but could not perfect the bail  conditions due to the holiday.

—Oluwole Adeboye