By Christopher Oji
Aggrieved police officers in Ogun State have raised the alarm accusing some top officers from Force Headquarters, Abuja, have been frustrating the order of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the state to prosecute suspected land grabbers.
The Ogun State DPP had advised the police in the state to prosecute the suspected land grabbers for conspiracy to murder, forceful take over of land, and other related offences.
Investigations, however, revealed that top police officers at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters Abuja are frustrating the arrest and prosecution of the suspects by taken over the case from the police in Ogun State.
The DPP in the state had since October 20, 2023 advised the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodu Alamutu, to prosecute the notorious land grabbers for the aforementioned offences, but he is yet to do the needful. The police in the state had earlier on the 8th day of August 2023, sought the advice of the DPP over an attack on Ipetu Baba Ode on July 7, 2023, where three people were shot dead and many others injured.
Surprisingly, the suspects have not been arrested and arraigned in the Court by the police in total disregard of the advice of the state Ministry of Justice. The latest advise from the DPP came at a time, when the suspects are still facing a murder charge over the killing ot two persons, Monday Eredua, and Moruf Babalola, in the same Ipetu Baba Ode, via Iju Ota in the Ado- Odo/ Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The suspects were in 2022 arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and handed over to the police for prosecution.
Sources at the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigations Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, however, blamed the inability of the police to arrest the suspects on the undue influence from the Force headquarters, Abuja.
The police source ,said,” we had just concluded our investigations,when an order came from Abuja that we should hand over the case file to some officers from Abuja. We had no alternative than to hand the case file to them.
“ We cannot prosecute Elijah and others, because the case file is in Abuja . We need to get the original case file before we can act on the advise. They have not returned the file to us .”
The Ogun State DPP in the advice to the state police boss stated that: “ The fact of the case as contained in the police duplicate case file are that on the 7th of July 2023 at about 15:12 hours ,one Alhaji Ramon Ogundipe reported that he received a phone call from one Alhaji Yahayah Alayande, that the Itusi family had attacked his siblings with some hoodlums at Ipetu Baba Ode via Iju Ota town over a parcel of land ,which had been under dispute for a period of time .
“The hoodlums shot at three members of the Adelupo family , namely: Emmanuel Oyeniyi ,Olayemi Nureni and Bamidele Abiodun . Hence,police investigations “
The Ogun State DPP director also stated that “ I have carefully considered the facts of the case .There is no doubt that there was a land dispute between the Itusi family and the Adelupo family upon which different judgement had been given ,up to the Court of Appeal .
“ There is sufficient evidence, however, to establish that the suspect( Elijah Adeogun ) led some other persons to launch an attack on members of the Adelupo family .
“In the light of the foregoing ,I recommend against the 1st defendant ( Elijah Adeogun ) , M , the offences of : Conspiracy to murder,contrary to section 324 of the Criminal Code Law ,Laws of Ogun State 2006 .
“Forceful takeover of land Contrary to section 3 of the Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Property.Armed Robbery,Kidnapping Cultism and Other Anti Violence and Other Related Offences Law of Ogun State 2016”
The Ogun State DPP also advised that Elijah should be prosecuted for “ Violence for Securing Entry into Landed Property , contrary to section 4 of the Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Property.Armed Robbery,Kidnapping ,Cultism and Other Anti Violence and Other Related Offences Law of Ogun State 2016 “
The Ogun State DPP ,also advised that the suspect should be prosecuted for attempted murder and conspiracy to commit felony to wit : violence for securing entry into landed property .
Two members of the Otuai family, Taofeek Odusami and Akeem Fadairo were also recommended to be prosecuted for sale of landed property without lawful authority .