*Petitions Makinde, Ag IGP Egbetokun
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Save the Poor and Needy Charity Initiative (SPANCI) on Monday, called on Governor Seyi Makinde and the acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and other stakeholders to wade into the alleged forceful eviction of some residents of Ogbomoso by suspected land grabbers.
SPANCI, a non-governmental organisation in a letter signed by its President, Comrade Yemi Bello said the intervention of Gov Makinde and the Acting IGP became necessary to avoid breakdown of laws and order in Ogbomoso land.
According to the NGO in the letter also copied to Oyo State Commissioner of Police, the state Attorney General and Justice Commissioner and other stakeholders, some land grabbers in alleged conjunction with some security agents have been evicting some residents of Ogbomoso from their lands through unverified claims.
The organization stressed in the letter, some police officers at Owode Area Command have allegedly collided with some land grabbers in order to evict some land owners from their lands.
“We are bringing to general public the unbecoming and unprofessional character of some men of Owode Area Command in gross act of rubbishing the Oyo State anti-land grabbing and real property protection task force and also taking jurisdiction of the matter before her”, it said
The NGO added, ” We hereby want His Excellency, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, Chairman, Oyo State anti-land grabbing and real property protection taskforce, the State commissioner of police, the Inspector General of Police, the state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General to intervene on this matter in the interest of justice and fair hearing to avoid miscarriage of justice and breach of peace and breakdown of law and other which may result from self help in Ogbomoso land.
“Our believe is that police lacks jurisdiction on such matter and it is wrong and unprofessional conduct on their side to punish the innocent in favor of the land grabbers”.
Lauding Governor Makinde and Oyo State House of Assembly for passing and signing the state anti-land grabbing law, the organization called on the taskforce to ensure sanity in the area
“Let me appreciate governor Seyi Makinde, Oyo State House of Assembly for the real property protection and anti-land grabbing law and task force. Also the Chairman and the entire Taskforce on anti-land grabbing and real property protection, the Nigeria Police force and other law enforcement agency in the taskforce for doing credible work and fighting against land grabbing and land grabbers in Oyo state
The NGO however, maintained that ” it is wrong for the security agents to collide with land grabbers in order to punish innocent people”.
