Residents of Yakoyo community Ojodu in Ifo local government area of Ogun State are calling on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and the State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo to rein in on their men who are constantly used by Olofin of Isheri, Sulaiman Adekunle Bamgbade and his allies Isiaka Azeez and Funmi Obaseki to harass, intimidate, extort and arrest leaders and residents of the community.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Yakoyo Community, the Baale of Yakoyo, Alani Obayomi and the leaders of the community development council accused Oba Sulaiman Bamgbade of resorting to self help despite taking the community to court over the ownership of the entire Yakoyo Land in a suit HCF /200/2022 ongoing at the High Court of Ogun State.
He said: “Sometimes in December 2021, one Isiaka Azeez claimed he had been made Baale of Yakoyo invading the community in company of 3 others and injuring some residents in his thirst for land grabbing and one of those injured was Funmi Obaseki a former Secretary in one of the community development areas who has now turned to an agent of destabilising the community” Obayomi said .
Kunle Onipede, who is the legal adviser to the Progressive community development area in Yakoyo laments the constant harassment and intimidation by the police working with the two Olofin’s allies against the community .
He said: “We don’t know the deal and the exchange of Greek gifts between Olofin, Isiaka Azeez and Funmi Obaseki who is now a tormentor of the community using the police to harass and intimidate everyone as we have been summoned to Alagbon , Zone 2 and Ojodu Abiodun police station on many occasions on spurious allegations made by Funmi Obaseki”.
“Despite petitioning the Alake of Egba land whose domain extends to Yakoyo and other organs of government like Ogun State House of Assembly, the Governor’s office and Ifo local government their mediation has not stopped these people from fomenting trouble in our community “
Olatunde Onipede, who is the Apesin Ola of Ojodu land and the Amuludun of Yakoyo land narrated his ordeal in the hands of Funmi Obaseki and Isiaka Azeez, who instigated his arrest and his wife Oluwaseun Onipede by the Police Officers of Ojodu Abiodun police headquarters a few weeks ago.
He said: “I was lured to the police station through an invitation and on getting there, I was informed that one Funmi Obaseki made outlandish allegations against me and without investigation the police detained me and my wife who accompanied me, the next day we were charged to court and remanded in prison but while they were taking my wife to prison ,the officer stopped at Olofin’s palace where the king instructed my wife to prevail on me not to be part of the ongoing land matters in court ” Onipede said
Two octogenarians Mr Tahiru and Mr Osundiji who have lived in the community for over 40 years complain about how the prolonged crisis is taking a tow on finances as pensioners.
“We are spending money on different frivolous court cases filed against us and extortion by police who will always insist we bail ourselves anytime this woman ( Funmi Obaseki) accuses us unjustly”
The leaders also accused the Divisional Police Officer of the Ojodu Abiodun Divisional Police Headquarters, Ojodu Abiodun, CSP Ejalonibu of being compromised.
The community is calling for a dispassionate investigation to be made by the office of the IGP into the various atrocities committed by Olofin of Isheri and his allies Isiaka Azeez and Funmi Obaseki in destabilising the Yakoyo Community and violating the fundamental human rights of the leaders and residents of Yakoyo community, Ojodu in Ifo local government area.
