Land dispute: Family drags Obasanjo’s brother, wife to court

TRACKING____ABEOKUTA—The head and principal members of Adogun Atele family have dragged Chief Abraham Akanle, younger brother to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and his wife, Taiwo Akanle before an Ogun State High Court for allegedly trespassing on their family land known as IIiwo family land, Sogunro village, Itele Awori in Ado Odo/ Ota Local Government area of the state.

The claimants, Nurudeen Akapo, Sunday Owotolu, Chief Taoreed Dada, and Alhaji Monsuru Yusuf are seeking for an order restraining the defendants from further trespassing on the land in dispute.

The claimants in suit by their lawyer, Olanrewaju Balogun prayed the court for an order directing the defendants their agents and privies to vacate the land in dispute.

The family also sought for a declaration that the defendants act of packing, collecting laterite on the land in dispute amount to trespass, illegal and null and void.

In a 41-page statement of claim, the claimants alleged that the defendants, acting under the disguise of protecting the ‘defective title of Chief Obasanjo’s land brought tipper operators to collect laterite on their family land.

They stated that the defendants are strangers and not related to Adogun Atele family but are using the influence of former President, Obasanjo to harass and intimidate the claimant’s family members.

The claimants alleged that the 1st defendant misrepresented Chief Obasanjo to harass and intimidate claimant’s family members should they complain about illegal collection of laterite on the disputed land.

They claimants stated that they have obtained several court judgments over the land from which the former president allegedly bought from Ogungbemi Alagbeji family.

The claimant stated that they did not execute the judgments because of the understanding that at the appropriate time, the former president will approach them for settlement.

Therefore, the claimants prayed the court for a declaration that they are the persons entitled to the Statutory Right of Occupancy in respect of the parcel of land in dispute.