The authorities in Ilobu, the administrative center of Irepodun Local Government Area in Osun State, have responded to the charge of land snatching made against the Nigerian Army by Ifon-Osun town, the administrative center of Orolu Local Government Area, which is located nearby.
The Nigerian Army also published a public statement on Tuesday night refuting the accusation and outlining its mission in defending every area of Nigeria from both internal and external assault. This is in addition to that statement.
Ifon-Osun had earlier on Tuesday organized a demonstration, alleging that the Nigerian Army was planning to seize its land for the purported purpose of constructing a facility for the area.
Allegation
The residents of the community, led by its regent and Eesa of Ifon-Osun, Babatunde Oyetunji, protested and spoke to the media on Tuesday, alleging that the Nigerian Army may have taken possession of their community’s land parcels in collusion with the Ilobu community.
Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, was allegedly planned to use his position to forcibly annex land belonging to the Ilobu village because he is a native of that community.
Replies Ilobu
However, in response to Ifon-Osun’s assertion on Wednesday, the palace of the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olaniyan, refuted it and characterized it as an attempt to stir up trouble in the neighborhood.
Adegoke Ogunsola, the Otun Jagun of Ilobu, a senior chief and lawyer who spoke to the media on behalf of the palace, said the community was shocked to learn of the protest against a “innocent army chief” whose appointment had been praised by many Nigerians as the right fit in the right hole.
Mr. Ogunsola argued that it was crucial to resolve the controversies surrounding the land dispute and pointed out that Ilobu has repeatedly won court challenges that have already been decided.
He added that a retired soldier and an old buddy met the community’s royal father and explored the prospect of facilitating a development center for the village. The retired soldier and old friend were reportedly taken to a potential spot to determine the viability of the site.
A former military member was a visitor of the Olobu of Ilobu, His Royal Majesty Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan II (J.P), on Monday, August 28, the chief reported. During the visit, the Olobu of Ilobu suggested a project for the Nigerian Army’s Military-Civil Relations. The retired General, who is a close friend of Olobu of Ilobu, was then driven to areas of the village where people needed the project.
Without hesitating, Ilobu Community portions were the locations visited. Again, this claim has been supported by court rulings and the Osun State Gazette.
He listed various cases to include those in cases with suit no: HOY/20/70 between Oba J. O. Akinyooye II, the Olufon of Ifon Osun, Oba Aminu Siyanbola, as delivered on 17 July, 1973; judgement in Appeal No FCA/I/1978 between Oba J. O. Akinyooye II, the Olufon of Ifon Osun, and Prince Salami Adesina and Prince Kola Oyewumi delivered on 22 September, 1981.
Among the other decisions mentioned by the chief were those with the case number HOS/22/86 between Jimoh Adigun & Amusa Akanni and Oba Asiru Olaniyan, which was handed down on October 18, 1991, and the appeal number CA/I/153/98 between Amusa Akanni and Oba Asiru Olaniyan, which was handed down on July 7, 2005.
Mr. Ogunsola, the most recent chairman of Irepodun Local Government, also listed the judgment in the case HOS/40/2015 between the Governor of Osun State and five other parties and HRM Oba A. A. Magbagbeola (OLufon of Ifon) and Orolu Local Government, which was allegedly recently delivered on July 13, 2018.
Do not divert the army leader.
Mr. Ogunsola, who referred to the palace of Ifon Osun’s protest as mere rantings, claimed that an analysis of the community’s prior behavior would show that it is motivated by enmity and despair.
He declared that Jide Akinyooye and Eesa of Ifon-Osun’s current outbursts were identical to their earlier lying. The Federal Republic of Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Hammed Tinubu, is once again appreciated by the Olobu of Ilobu, Chiefs, and residents of Ilobu for selecting Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, a well-known son of Ilobu, for a national position.
“We want to underline that the claim by the Ifon-Osun community is an attempt to divert the chief of army staff and the president from pursuing the Renewed Hope Agenda for Nigeria.
Response of the Army
The Nigerian Army’s spokeswoman, Onyema Nwachukwu, called the accusation nasty and untrue earlier on Tuesday and urged the public to ignore it.
He asserted that the Nigerian Army was not currently engaged in any process involving the acquisition of any land for any project, whether at Orolu or elsewhere, and that the protesters’ primary goal was to “tarnish the excellent reputation of the army chief and the institution it represents.”
The Nigerian Army issued the following statement on its official Facebook page: “The Nigerian Army (NA) has been notified of malicious allegations reportedly peddled in a press statement by one Chief Babatunde Oyetunji, Eesa of Ifon in which he levelled allegations that the Nigerian Army (NA) has decided to forcefully acquire land for a proposed project in Orolu Community of Orolu Local Govt of Osun State.
“The NA wishes to clarify that the story is absolutely untrue, spiteful, and an attempt by some vested interests to destroy the good reputation of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and drag the name of the institution in the dirt,” the statement reads.
Allegation’s justification could be
According to Mr. Nwachukwu, one of the steps the Nigerian Army is taking to increase public trust in the Nigerian Army is “through the instrumentality of Civil-Military Cooperation activities or programs of the Nigerian Army.”
“This endeavor is basically focused on promoting cooperation and energizing support from the general public for NA’s various operations to alleviate security concerns around the country. Therefore, the NA typically carries out specialized community intervention projects, such as hospitals, boreholes, and electrification among others, based on needs assessment, after consulting with the leadership of such communities, at the request of senior officers who are from the benefiting community, the army spokesman said.
Nevertheless, he went on to say that the specific instance was merely being conceptualized by a retired senior officer and will be put forward to the Nigerian Army. The proposition, according to him, has not been made.
“By this, the Nigerian Army disavows any role in any attempt to seize any common property. The Nigerian Army is a competent, law-abiding agency that has always adhered to the proper procedures in all of her intervention projects that she has previously undertaken. In light of this, the general public is urged to reject the accusations and keep supporting the Nigerian Army’s nationwide kinetic and non-kinetic operations.
