The Ogun State House of Assembly has recommended the suspension of the Olu of Obafemi, Oba Taofeek Owolabi, in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the State, over alleged grabbing.
The recommendation was based on the petition brought before the House by the Agboro Olatunde Community Development Association against the traditional ruler.
On Tuesday, the Vice Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Ethics and Public Petitions, Hon. Babatunde Tella, during the plenary at the Hallowed Chamber of the Assembly.
The lawmaker said the House received the petition from the community last January while explaining that the Committee invited both parties for a meeting to find a way of resolving issues raised.
The lawmaker stated that the traditional ruler failed to appear despite several invitations sent to him.
Hon Tella said, “The committee embarked on an on-the-spot assessment of the land under contention and observed that the action of the traditional ruler is contrary to the Anti-Land Law 2016 of Ogun state,” he said.
“Oba Owolabi who was alleged of land grabbing brought in a developer to Agboro-Olatunde village, where over 30 Hectares of land belonging to the residents of the village was cleared.”
He said that the Committee said after a thorough investigation of the allegations, the committee recommended that the Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice should prosecute the traditional ruler.
“This will be in accordance with the provisions of the Anti-Land Grabbing Law 2016 of Ogun State and other extant laws.
” The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Ogun State Council of Oba should immediately suspend the traditional ruler for perpetrating acts capable of disrupting the peace of the residents of the Agboro-Olatunde village,” he said.
He called on the residents of the village to be law-abiding and stay clear of any act capable of breaking law and order in the state pending the implementation of the House recommendations.
Tella, thereafter, moved the motion for adoption of the report, seconded by Segun Kaka(Ijebu North 11).
The Majority Leader, Hon. Sherif Yusuf moved a motion that the recommendation of the committee on the petition received becomes the resolution of the House, seconded by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, urged the Clerk, Mr Sakiru Adebakin, to communicate the resolution to the relevant authorities.
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE