The Gbantehu family of Onadilogun village, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, has petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, over the murder of a 65-year-old father of 10, Whanse Gbantehu, by suspected land grabbers.
The family alleged that some suspected land grabbers, who had been terrorising the community, had been sending threat messages to the family, warning them to stay away from the property.
Gbantehu, a farmer, was allegedly murdered on February 28, 2021 in his home.
The killing was said to have been the result of several threats and attacks on the family members and their properties.
According to the family, suspected thugs armed with cudgels, cutlasses and Dane guns stormed the deceased’s house and allegedly killed him.
The petition, signed by the family solicitor, Chief Israel Talabi, claimed that 30 men were suspected to be involved in terrorising the community and the alleged murder of the farmer.
The family called for the intervention of the police to prevent the suspects from engaging in serial killings.
The three page-petition read in part, “Our humble petition to the Ogun State legally constituted authorities of the Nigeria Police Force is to urgently intervene in this criminal murder, assassination, oppression, invasion, kidnapping, self arson, abduction and attempts on the lives of innocent civilians and farmers, and to quickly arrest and charge the culprits to the court of law before they take the life of another of their victims as they have vowed to engage in serial killing of all members of our clients’ family under the guise of land grabbing.”
“We also use this medium to apply and request for police protection in areas of our clients’ homes and farmlands in order to curb the menace of serial and unlawful killings, which we believe your office can provide.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the command was aware of the incident.
Oyeyemi said the command had intervened in the matter and had arrested five suspects, who were charged and remanded in a correctional facility.
He said, “The case was transferred to the state CID on the orders of the CP. It was investigated and five suspects were charged with murder.
“They are presently being remanded in prison custody.”
@ Punch Newspaper
