The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has stepped up against land grabbing in Ibadan, handing over a suspect to the Oyo State Directorate of the Department of State Services.

This came following a protracted land dispute, with two other suspects currently at large.

The development arose from a lingering ownership crisis between the Akoto and Ojofeitimi families over a parcel of land located along the ICAST axis in the Elebu area of Ibadan.

This was contained in a statement released by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, in Ibadan, the state capital, on Wednesday.

The PUNCH reports that Ladoja had on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, inaugurated a five-member committee on land grabbing and other related heinous acts.

The committee, charged with the task of tackling the problem of land grabbing from the legal perspective, includes Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Niyi Akintola and Musibau Adetunbi.

Others are Yinka Okunade, Rahman AbdulRaheem and Tunji Thomas.

Ladoja gave the committee “an express permission to co-opt anybody from any profession, including town planning, survey, security agencies, the bar and bench, who could assist in giving them sufficient green light to fight the scourge.”

However, it was gathered that both families had approached the Olubadan to intervene in the dispute, while representatives of the Akoto family laid claim to a portion of the land, the Ojofeitimi family insisted that the entire land belonged to them.

Oloko said, “Following the petition, the Olubadan-in-Council invited the parties to a meeting last month, directing them to submit survey plans and other documents to establish ownership.

“The monarch also ordered that there should be no threat, encroachment or further development on the disputed land pending the outcome of investigations.

“The matter was, however, brought to a head on Tuesday when the feuding families were summoned to the Olubadan Palace, Oke-Aremo, Ibadan, for the presentation of the investigation report.

“At the meeting, the council declared that the land inhabited by the Ojofeitimi family rightfully belonged to them, dismissing the claim by the Akoto family.”

Presenting the report, the state Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Ajibade Bolanle, said findings from an independent survey and records obtained from the state Ministry of Lands confirmed the Ojofeitimi family’s ownership.

He noted that while the survey plan presented by the Ojofeitimi family had an official red copy, the document submitted by the Akoto family lacked statutory validation.

“Tension, however, heightened when two of the three Akoto family representatives failed to appear for the report presentation, fuelling suspicion among council members.

“The situation became more serious following allegations that one Kunle Ojofeitimi was assaulted during the period of investigation despite warnings from the Olubadan that all parties should maintain peace. He was reportedly treated for injuries at the Adeoyo State Hospital, while the incident was also reported to the police.

“Subsequently, one suspect was apprehended and handed over to the DSS, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the two others said to be at large,” Olubadan’s media aide explained.

Dignitaries present at the meeting included the Osi Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola Daisi; Asipa Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade; Asipa Balogun, Oba Abiodun Azeez Agagagugu; Ekerin Balogun, Oba Mobolaji Akeem Adewoyin; Aare Mayegun of Ibadanland, Chief Bayo Oyero; and the President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Chief Niyi Ajewole, among others. (PUNCH)

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