Land grabbers batter monarch, sack community

Some land grabbers and hoodlums have sacked residents of Ehin-Ogbe Community, Ogijo in Sagamu Local Government, Ogun State, from their houses.

The invaders were said to have beaten up the community’s monarch, Oba Akeem Elupepe, and chased him away from his palace.

An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said the Oba and four other persons sustained injuries from the violence unleashed by the land grabbers,  who were heard shouting that the community belonged to their forefathers.

They were said to be armed with guns, machetes and cudgels. It was said that they stormed Ehin-Ogbe shooting indiscriminately.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro from his hideouts, Elupepe said he suspected that some of his former rivals in the contest for the kingship stool masqueraded as land grabbers to attack the town and punish the people for choosing him above them.

The monarch further alleged that the suspected sponsors of the attack made use of some policemen.

Elupepe said, “Before the hoodlums attacked us, the Area ‘N’ Police Command, Ijede, Lagos State had summoned me and four others because of a petition written against us  over an alleged rape.

“We were initially detained and after we were released by the police, we were escorted by the police back to our village. As the policemen were about leaving us at the entrance of the village, we heard gunshots. So, we begged the policemen to follow us into the village to check what was happening. They said we should go and that they would follow soon. Of course, we did not see them again.”

The monarch said as they moved into the village, they saw over 100 hoodlums,   who on seeing the entourage, descended on them.

He added, “I was seriously beaten  and dragged  on the ground until I was unconscious. I was later taken to hospital where I was revived.”

The Ogun State  Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the command was yet to be briefed  about the incident.

Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police,  however, assured that the command would react as soon as the Divisional  Police Officer in the area briefed it.