Posted by The Osun State House of Assembly has promised Kelebe-Omu landowners who are protesting that it will take all legal measures to ensure their land is returned to them.
The guarantee was given on Tuesday by Speaker of the Assembly Wale Egbedun in response to the landowners’ protests about the Nigerian Army’s persistent disregard for a court ruling.
According to information obtained by twiscoloaded, the Kelebe-Omu land owners organization, which is affiliated with the Osun State High Court located in Osogbo, declared in January 2023 that the disputed area belonged to the land owners alone.
The Nigerian Army was declared to be a tenant on the land by the court as well.
The Obokun State Constituency’s representative, Adewumi Adeyemi, spoke on behalf of Egbedun, who stated that the Assembly would address the issue within the bounds of the legislation.
Adeyemi also exhorted the demonstrators to make sure their demonstration was nonviolent.
“Chaos and disturbance to the peace that exists in Osun State now are not what we desire.”
As I mentioned earlier, each and every one of us gathered here is come to speak to you on behalf of the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly. Thus, you are being addressed by the House of Assembly.
“All of your documentation, the judgment papers, and the execution order from the state high court are in our control. I can guarantee you one thing: the House of Assembly, led by the Honorable Adewale Egbedun, will move quickly on this matter since he has vowed to always uphold the law.
“According to the law, you are the land’s legitimate owner as of right now, unless a court with appropriate authority decides differently later on.
“The Speaker will take action to ensure that it is resolved quickly.”
“The fact that Osun State is experiencing peace makes this action much more important. Anything that could disturb the tranquility that the state is currently experiencing is not what we want.
Landowners on protest had earlier stormed the Osun State Government Secretariat in Abere, where they pleaded with President Bola Tinubu and Ademola Adeleke’s administration to step in and order the Nigerian Army to enforce the court ruling.
Speaking to reporters, Amodu Akanbi, the chairman of the Kelebe-Omu land owners organization, bemoaned the Nigeria Army’s egregious disrespect for the court ruling.
He disclosed that the Nigerian Army was not using the land for the reason it was leased from the land owners, but rather selling it to private citizens.