Family Petitions CP Over Landed Property Tussle

The Oluode family in Ayetoro-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has accused the Alayetoro of Ayetoro Ekiti has petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Eribo, alleging that the traditional ruler of land grabbing, assault and destruction of property.

The family specifically alleged that Oba Samuel Olufisan Ajayi forcefully attempted to take over their property.

The monarch, the family claimed, demolished their property and attacked workers on site despite a court ruling affirming their ownership of the disputed landed property.

In the petition, rooted through its counsel, Wole Falola and Co., the Oluode family said that Oba Ajayi allegedly led six arm-wielding hoodlums to where the property is located to destroy the ongoing projects, including blocks and bags of cement.

The hoodlums, according to the family, also beat and attacked workers on site with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

The petition reads in part, “That a court judgment was given in favour of the Oluode family in a case with the monarch, Oba Ajayi, and the verdict was not appealed, and our client has since been in lawful and actual occupation of the land.

“That shockingly, around April 2025, the above-named persons in company of some hoodlums at large invaded the land with dangerous weapons such as cutlass and guns wherein they chased away the people working on the land, they destroyed blocks, wasted their cement phones, plus valuable items and cash.’

“Our clients believed that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ido Ekiti, is shielding the suspects to evade arrest for his interaction with the Kabiyesi on the subject matter.”

Reacting to the allegations, Oba Ajayi confirmed that he ordered the demolition and explained that the land belonged to his mother’s family, and they had approached him to make judicious use of the vast space.

The monarch claimed that the Oluode family, who had won a court case on the land, had trespassed beyond the demarcated area, leading to demolition.

He said: “I was not at home a couple of weeks ago, when some people called me from home, saying they could see buildings springing up on the land, outside their demarcated space. It was then I told them to go and chase them out, and they went and carried out my order.’’