Staff members of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) have petitioned the Oyo State Real Property Protection Agency over what they described as the unlawful invasion of their landed properties in Ibadan.

The petition, written by their solicitor, Ademola Sodamade, and dated December 11, 2025, alleged breach of peace, threats to life, and malicious damage by some land speculators. It specifically named Mr. Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Mrs. Oluwamayowa Ayinde, and Mr. Adewale Owoade as owners of the affected land.

According to the NAN employees, a group of land speculators, allegedly led by a Mr. Kazim, popularly known as Abija, forcefully entered the properties without authorisation, removing all beacons and signposts.

The petition detailed that the employees purchased 35 acres of land at Butubutu Village in Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State between 2013 and 2014. “After the perfection of the purchase, my clients partitioned the land and sold it to different individuals, majority of whom are staff of the News Agency of Nigeria, Ibadan branch,” it stated.

It further claimed: “Surprisingly however, about a few months ago, Mr. Kazim, popularly known as Abija, the Mogaji of Ile Aje, in Ode-Aje, Ibadan, forcefully entered the land.

“He removed and carted away some of the signposts and destroyed some of the pillars on the land with a view to selling it to certain individuals. He threatened to kill anybody who dared to stop him from carrying out his plans on the sale of the land.”

In the petition, the NAN employees appealed to the agency to intervene and halt the illegal activities on their properties. Copies of the petition, alongside agreements of purchase, land surveys, photographs, and other relevant documents, were also submitted to the Olubadan Committee on Land Grabbing, the Office of the Deputy Governor, and the Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor.

Speaking on the matter, the Chairman of the NAN Housing Scheme in Ibadan Zonal Office, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, explained that the housing scheme was born out of a cooperative effort among staff members to own property through monthly contributions since 2013.

Balogun said, “It is very sad and disturbing that some hoodlums, under the guise of working for the state government, can forcefully encroach on the land, destroy all the farm produce, remove all the beacons and signposts installed there and threaten to kill and maim any of us on the site.” (Arise News)

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