The Oyo State Government, community leaders, victims and other stakeholders have cried in one voice against the menace of land grabbing in the state.
The respondents expressed their unanimous views in a survey conducted in Ibadan, the state capital, on Monday, March 31, 2025.
Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Gov. Seyi Makinde, said the government, determined to curb the menace, established the Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force in January.
The CPS said the government has resolved to check the excesses of land grabbers, popularly called “Omo onile”, once and for all.
He encouraged individuals whose lands or property had been forcibly encroached upon to seek redress with the task force at the state Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
He emphasised the agency’s readiness to attend to them accordingly.
According to him, the state is ready to stop the unlawfulness by fully deploying government resources and applicable law.
“People have the right to their lands, and no one should forcibly occupy them. Such acts are now criminal under the anti-land-grabbing law.
“Forceful occupation of land is no longer acceptable. In the past, conquering land was seen as a triumph, but today, it is a crime.
“Therefore, anyone attempting this must be prepared to face the consequences,” he said.
He assured victims that erring individuals would face the full wrath of the law because the present administration has zero tolerance for land grabbing.
Stakeholders, while condemning the act, advised the state government to make the task force effective enough to deter those planning such illegality.
Chief Alaba Alayande, a community leader at Aba Alamu, via Omi-Adio, Ido Local Government Area (LGA), says land grabbing brings severe consequences for individuals and communities.
He noted that it has led to displacement, loss of livelihood, economic hardship, and social unrest, thus impacting the environment and exacerbating inequalities.
A leader in Ologiri Village, Ido LGA, Mr. Tajudeen Ayinla, said land grabbing could be deeply traumatic, leading to stress, anxiety, and a sense of loss and dispossession.
Ayinla said that loss of land and access to resources could lead to poverty, food insecurity, and reduced income opportunities for individuals and families.
According to the Baale of Ogidiland, Ona-Ara LGA, Alhaji Mohammed Abdul-Azeez, land grabbing disproportionately affects marginalised groups such as small farmers and women.
The community leader said such activities could lead to long-term disputes and unrest, leading to instability within communities.
“Individuals are displaced with disrupted livelihoods; social ties can weaken, leading to a sense of fragmentation and loss of community identity.
“Land grabbing can also lead to deforestation, soil degradation, and loss of biodiversity, impacting the overall health and sustainability of the environment,” the Baale said.
While commending the state government for setting up the task force, Abdul-Azeez said the havoc and unrest caused by land grabbers were no longer acceptable.
“In recent years, land grabbers have caused havoc and unrest in different parts of the state by dispossessing legitimate landowners of their properties, thereby stifling commercial activities in the state.
“It is, therefore, important that the state government, not only identifies the effects of the problems being perpetrated by these unscrupulous elements on commercial activities and peace of the citizenry, but also finds lasting solutions to the menace.
“I strongly believe this is the reason behind the creation of the task force.
“Furthermore, the need to protect investors and maintain law and order may have also led to the setting up of the task force.
“This, by implication, will encourage the verification of legal claims through litigation rather than resorting to violence.
“It is good to know that henceforth, anybody or a corporate entity who uses threat in any form to deprive people of their legitimate property should be treated as a criminal in the state,” said the Baale of Ogidiland.
Chief Bolarinwa Bashiru, the leader of Odejobi Community, Omi-Adio Area of Ido LGA, saw land grabbing as limiting access to essential resources, such as water, forests, and grazing lands.
He said this would have a more negative impact on the well-being of communities.
According to Bashiru, disrupting the traditional lifestyle of those who rely on agriculture and other resource extraction will force them to the cities to engage in menial jobs.
A lawyer, Adeyemi Okunade, said those aiding and abetting land grabbers would also be penalised with the creation of the task force under the Oyo State Real Properties Protection Law, 2016.
“The Oyo State Real Properties Protection Law, 2016, prohibits forceful entry, illegal occupation of landed properties, fraudulent and violent conduct pertaining to landed properties, with offenders liable up to 15 years imprisonment,” he said.
Okunade attributed the recent trend of land grabbing in the state to factors including the growing demand for land, driven by urbanisation and development projects.
He said the increase in land demand had created an environment where land grabbers could thrive, using tactics such as forceful entry and illegal occupation of landed properties.
“Additionally, the activities of land grabbers have been linked to violence and intimidation, making it difficult for legitimate landowners to protect their properties.
“It’s worth noting that the state government has declared zero tolerance for land-grabbing activities, and those found wanting risk up to 15 years imprisonment,” he said.
To curb the menace, Okunade called for the review and amendment of existing laws, an increase in penalties, and the establishment of a clear procedure for land acquisition, transfer and registration.
“There is a need for a mandatory land registration system – a digital land registry, allowing public access to land records.
“In addition, there is a need to establish an independent oversight body to monitor and investigate land transactions.
“There is also the need to provide legal assistance, alternative dispute resolution methods and creation of public awareness campaigns.
“Others include special courts, strictly for land grabbing matters, and more government involvement in land issues,” Okunade said.
However, an architect, Mr. Rotimi Omoniyi, alleged that land grabbing started gaining ground due to the support perpetrators receive from community chiefs and traditional rulers of the areas involved.
Omoniyi said he had clients who had been victims, as lands sold to them were resold to others by the same people.
“The practice will continue because those involved have the backing of the families who sold the lands and maybe those of the traditional rulers in the area,” Omoniyi said.
A farmer, Mr. David Ayoola, said he became a victim of land grabbers because he left his land unattended for a long time.
“When I got there, I discovered another person had built on it, and though I was offered another place, it was far from the initial one.
“I, however, took the offer so that I would not lose my money, as they were not ready to pay back,” said Ayoola.
Mr. Lamidi Waheed, Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) in Oyo State, identified land grabbing as one of the challenges members encounter while working on sites.
However, he noted that every legitimate surveyor has legal protection from being victimised by land grabbers while on sites.
“With this law, beating up a surveyor on the site attracts 10 years imprisonment.
“The highest thing a land grabber can do is to ask us to leave the site, and we’ll leave peacefully and report to our client.
“We strongly condemn any form of brutality by land grabbers against our members,” he said.