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Oyo govt charges judiciary on enforcement of land grabbing law

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The Oyo State Government has tasked members of the judicial arm of government to adopt the principle of substantial justice in dealing with the growing menace of land grabbing in the state, saying that the State had timeously risen to the occasion by passing an appropriate legislation to tackle the mischief of the land grabbers.

It also warned that the use of thugs, agents, consultants to attack occupants or demolish buildings based on purported court judgment without proper procedure shall be prosecuted under the Real Property Protection law (Anti Grabbers Law) to ensure the menace of land grabbing is finally curbed in the state.

https://iso.keq.mybluehost.me/exclusive-oyo-govt-increases-subvention-to-tertiary-institutions/

The government said that it initiated the Real Property Protection (RPP) Bill in 2016, passed into law and assented to by Governor Ajimobi on February 9, 2017 to curb the menace of land grabbers, explaining that Section 3 of the RPP law states that: “as from the commencement of this law, no person shall use force or self-help to take over any real property or engage in any act inconsistent with the proprietary right of the owner or occupant in the state”.

The Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr. Oluseun Abimbola, in his speech at the weekend in Ibadan during the Special Court Session held in honour of late Hon. Justice Pius Aderemi, CON, JSC (rtd), said that a more worrisome dimension was recently introduced with the manner of enforcement some judgment creditors have gone about executing some recent Supreme court and high court judgments over expansive parcels of land, with the increasing use of thugs and brigades to seize possession.

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Abimbola stated that without prejudice to the rights of a judgment creditor to reap the fruits of his/her judgment, there are laid down procedure for the enforcement of a warrant of possession over real property, and there are statutory persons authorized to carry out that task, noting that other than bailiffs/Sheriffs of court supported by the police, no other person(s) have a legal right to enter into another person’s property in the name of executing a court judgment.

The Attorney General said that aiding and abetting a forceful take-over of land, threat or use of force, with or without offensive weapons, selling or offering for sale illegally taken over real property, or a beneficiary of such forcefully taken over land are all subject to prosecution under this law, stressing that professionals like Estate Agents, Estate and Land Surveyors, or even lawyers may be subject to prosecution should they be found to have played any role in the chain of events leading to such forceful take-over of Real property in Oyo state.

Abimbola said that Section 7(1) of the RPP Law states unequivocally that “Any person who without lawful authority uses or threatens violence for the purpose of forcefully taking over or grabbing any Real property for himself or for any other person, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 15 years or a fine of N500,000 or both…
“(2). The right of any person to possession or occupation of any property shall not for the purpose of subsection (1) of this section constitute lawful authority for the use or threat of violence by him or anyone acting on his behalf for the property…(3) For the purpose of
this section an offence is committed whether or not the violence is… directed against the person or the property.

“Regrettably even since the commencement of this law, the police still sometimes charge culprits arrested for offences created under the RPP law, merely for malicious damage, a charge readily defeated by a defence of bonafide claim of right under section 23 of the Criminal Code, whereas under the RPP Law, a bonafide claim of right is no defence to a ‘vi et amis’ (force of arms) take-over of any land in Oyo state.

“My lords and your worships, permit me to humbly request of you when faced with such erroneously drafted criminal complaints, to please exercise your powers under section 215(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Oyo state 2016, which authorizes the judex to amend, alter, or reframe a defective charge once the ingredients of the charge discloses ‘land grabbing’ rather than mere malicious damage, or in any other case where the prosecution might have wrongly charged.

“This is the substantive justice the ACJL stands for, rather than surrender jurisdiction under the challenge of a preliminary objection predicated on an improperly framed charge. I therefore solicit the support of my colleagues at the Bar and the unwavering courageous Oyo state judiciary to join hands with the current administration to eradicate land grabbing in Oyo state.

“I commend our colleagues with whom I had engaged on recent developments in this respect for their quick intervention to avoid a breach of public peace and undue empowerment of brigands by their clients in the name of enforcement of court judgments,” Abimbola added.

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Iran War Disrupts Oil Supply, Global Loss Hits $50bn

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The global oil market has recorded losses exceeding $50bn following massive supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing Iran war, which has now stretched to nearly 50 days.

Data from energy analytics firm Kpler showed that more than 500 million barrels of crude oil and condensate have been wiped off the global market since the crisis began in late February, making it the largest energy supply disruption in modern history.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, on Friday said the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened after a ceasefire agreement reached in Lebanon.

However, tensions escalated again on Saturday as Tehran warned it could shut the strategic waterway if the United States sustains its blockade of Iranian ports.

Also, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a deal to end the conflict could be reached “soon,” although he did not provide a definite timeline.

Analysts warned that the scale of disruption could have prolonged effects on global energy stability, with shocks expected to linger for months or even years.

Providing context, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, Iain Mowat, said the 500 million barrels lost is equivalent to grounding global aviation demand for 10 weeks, halting all road transport worldwide for 11 days, or shutting down the entire global oil supply for five days.

Further estimates showed that the lost volume is nearly equal to one month of oil demand in the United States or more than a month’s supply for Europe. It also represents about six years of fuel consumption by the U.S. military and could power global shipping activities for approximately four months.

The crisis has significantly affected oil-producing nations in the Gulf, with output losses reaching about eight million barrels per day in March—roughly equivalent to the combined production of two of the world’s largest oil companies.

Jet fuel exports from major producers, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, dropped sharply from 19.6 million barrels in February to just 4.1 million barrels recorded across March and April combined. Analysts said the shortfall could have powered about 20,000 round-trip international flights.

With crude prices averaging around $100 per barrel since the onset of the conflict, the lost volumes translate to an estimated $50bn in revenue. Experts noted that this figure is equivalent to about one per cent of Germany’s annual Gross Domestic Product, or roughly the size of the economies of smaller European countries.

Meanwhile, global onshore crude inventories have declined by about 45 million barrels in April alone, while total production outages have risen to approximately 12 million barrels per day since late March.

Industry experts cautioned that unless a lasting resolution is reached, the disruption could intensify volatility in global oil markets, worsen inflationary pressures, and further strain fragile economies worldwide.

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Oseni Secures Prestigious City People Political Award Nomination

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A member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Aderemi Oseni, has been nominated for a Special Award in Politics at the 2026 City People Political Awards.

The nomination was conveyed in a letter dated April 13, 2026, signed by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of City People Magazine, Seye Kehinde.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Oseni’s media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.

According to the statement, the lawmaker earned the nomination in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to politics in Oyo State, particularly in Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency.”

The organisers noted that Oseni emerged as a nominee following a comprehensive review of performances across sectors by the award’s selection committee.

Part of the letter read, “Having performed creditably well in your sector last year, the Organising Committee presented you as a nominee in your sector.”

The award ceremony is scheduled to hold on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Etal Hall, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, at 4pm.

The City People Awards is an annual event that recognises individuals who have distinguished themselves in governance, public service and other sectors of national development.

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Kaduna Electric to prosecute, expose attackers of staff

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The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has announced a crackdown on individuals who assault its staff, warning that offenders will face prosecution and public exposure.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the company expressed concern over what it described as a “disturbing surge” in attacks on its field workers and third-party partners.

It noted that the affected personnel were mainly engaged in meter installation, revenue collection and maintenance of electricity infrastructure.

According to the firm, the increasing cases of harassment, physical assault and unlawful detention of its workers pose a serious threat to employee safety and the stability of electricity service delivery across its franchise areas.

The Deputy Managing Director, Abubakar Mohammed, said the company would no longer tolerate any form of aggression against its workforce.

“Let this serve as a clear warning to anyone who engages in the assault of our staff. Kaduna Electric will pursue every case to its logical conclusion,” he said.

“We will work closely with security agencies to ensure offenders are brought to justice and face the full weight of the law,” Mohammed added.

He further disclosed that the company would publicly reveal the identities of individuals found culpable.

According to him, names, photographs and other details of offenders would be published on the company’s official platforms as well as in national and local media.

“This measure is intended to ensure accountability and serve as a strong deterrent. Anyone who chooses to attack our personnel should be prepared not only to face prosecution but also public exposure,” he added.

The company stressed that assaults on utility workers attract serious legal and financial consequences, noting that offenders risk criminal charges that may lead to fines or imprisonment.

It added that perpetrators could also face civil liabilities, including compensation for medical treatment, psychological trauma and loss of work hours.
While condemning the attacks, Kaduna Electric urged customers to adopt peaceful and lawful means of resolving disputes.

It advised aggrieved customers to channel complaints through its customer service units or appropriate regulatory bodies.

The management reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its workforce and partners, stressing that a safe working environment is essential for delivering reliable and efficient electricity services.

Although disputes between electricity providers and consumers are often linked to billing issues, metering challenges and service delivery concerns, the company maintained that such matters must be resolved through dialogue, insisting that violence against its staff will no longer be tolerated.

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