Senator Gbenga Daniel has submitted a petition before the Senate on behalf of the Apuren Development Association in Ijebu North East Local Government of Ogun State, over alleged illegal land acquisition by the military.

The lawmaker made the presentation during a plenary session in a video obtained by Tribune Online, in which members of the community are protesting the illegal acquisition of their ancestral land, prompting them to approach him as their representative to bring the matter before the Senate.

He informed the Senate that the matter was not before any court of law and urged the Senate to look into the matter expeditiously.

The Senate President, Godswill Apkabio, referred the petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petition, and the Committee is expected to report back within three weeks.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State House of Assembly has intervened in the matter.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Hon Oludaisi Elemide, said this when he led other members of the Assembly on an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas.

Elemide promised that the State legislature would compile and present its findings to the Governor at the state level, as well as engage the Legislative and Executive arms of Government at the Federal level to achieve a lasting solution to the matter.

He explained that the land crisis stemmed from the failure to properly gazette and document the earlier review that reduced the portion allocated to the Nigerian Army, while commending the members representing the two affected constituencies, Honourables Oluwaseun Adesanya and Waliu Owode, for their efforts and urged the residents to remain peaceful and law-abiding as elected representatives moved to address the matter.

The Speaker also advised all affected communities to formally communicate with the House of Assembly, assuring that lawmakers would deliberate on the matter and adopt a resolution to be communicated to the appropriate authorities for necessary action towards achieving a permanent resolution.

On their part, the members representing the two constituencies, Honourables Adesanya and Owode, assured the people of a lasting resolution; the lawmakers encouraged them to remain calm and law-abiding as they intensified efforts to resolve the dispute.

In his remarks, the State Surveyor-General, Surveyor Oladele Ewulo, stated that his team had conducted an initial assessment of the area and would undertake further investigations and inquiries, noting that the outcome would guide stakeholders toward a peaceful and sustainable resolution.

Addressing the delegation, the Kabiyesi of Apunren Kingdom, Oba Jimson Owode Oyelaja, appealed to the State House of Assembly to intervene on the matter, which he noted had lasted nearly 50 years.

He stressed that Apunren and other affected villages had existed for over 600 years and lamented recent demolitions, loss of lives, destruction of schools, hospitals, houses, and properties allegedly linked to the enforcement of the disputed acquisition.

The monarch urged his people to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding, expressing optimism that the visit of the lawmakers signalled an imminent relief and a lasting solution to the long-standing hardship facing the communities.

In a presentation delivered at the commencement of the meeting, Major General S. A. Odunsi (Rtd) explained that the Apunren community was seeking legislative intervention to restore ancestral lands excessively acquired by the military in 1977; noting that although a reduced portion was earlier agreed upon for military use, a 1987 gazette controversially reinstated the larger expanse, thereby plunging the people into decades of uncertainty.

The retired General further appealed to the State House of Assembly to treat the matter with the urgency it required, as the dispute approaches its 50th anniversary, appealing to the government to make 2026 a “year of jubilee” for the affected communities. (TRIBUNE)