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Oyo: Save us from land grabbers, Oki community residents beg Makinde
Landlords, residents and owners of properties in Oki Community of Egbeda local government area of Oyo state have cried out over the danger and threat posed to them by some individuals believed to be land grabbers who have allegedly besieged their communities in the last few months.
The vast settlement located along Iwo Road in the heart of Ibadan, the state capital, harbours close to 30 autonomous communities and zones within which there are more than 3,000 houses, commercial structures and other properties including undeveloped pieces of land. All of this had reportedly attracted some people who now claim to be original owners and make violent attempt to exercise certain rights.
When our correspondent visited some of the communities yesterday, it was observed that palpable fear enveloped the atmosphere as most of the residents who spoke on condition of anonymity fingered some individuals described as members of Akindipe family as being behind the whole crisis.
They accused them of employing the services of an Ibadan-based socialite who they described as a professional land grabber (Ajagungbale) and with whom the Akindipes have been disturbing the peace of the whole communities since last year.
Speaking with our correspondent, one of the residents who gave his name as Hashim (surname withheld) confirmed the development.
His words; “It is true some impostors are laying claims to the ownership of the whole place and they have taken many steps including violent attacks on innocent people to either extort property owners or take total possession of other people’s properties. They parade themselves as descendants of Akindipe family whose root cannot even be traced to Oki here.
“I’m an indigene of Oki and I can confess openly that our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers sold a good portion of land here to the present occupants. To this end, we don’t have any right to the pieces of land again but these miscreants who are not even related to us have now come around to forcefully taken over what belong to others. They started by installing one Munirudeen Alatise as Baale in April this year and the same man is the one authorising his agents to unleash terror on the people with a view to taking over their properties”, the 58 year-old man said.
Another female resident who preferred anonymity recounted her experience in the hands of the land grabbers who, she said, always moved round the communities with dangerous weapons and lay claims to undeveloped pieces of land which they either try to resell to the real owner or get a new buyer for.
“We gathered reliably that these usurpers have entered into an agreement with one Óbàjétì who they allowed to erect a mall on the first pieces of land which they hijacked with an understanding that he would use his machinations to cow all of us (genuine property owner) to submission through violence.
“Apart from the illegal Baale, there are others like Alfa Sule and Taofeek who mobilize thugs and policemen each time they want to encroach on innocent people’s properties. At the moment, they target undeveloped pieces of land and recently, they made a Pastor their victim when they forcefully seized his five plots of land and asked him to pay seven million naira in addition to a demand for ceding of half of the land to them. This was without any justification other than a verbal claim of ownership. We now live in fear because these impostors can do anything to perpetrate their nefarious activities”, she added.
Our correspondent later spoke with the President of Oki and Environs Landlords and Residents Association, Bashorun Ariyo Fadairo who described the situation as highly ridiculous and very disturbing. He then appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde and all authorities concerned to wade in urgently to “forestall likely breach of public peace which might happen any moment from now since the land grabbers are resolute in going ahead with their plans to forcefully take over our properties.
“In this modern age, we don’t understand how some unscrupulous people would just wake up somewhere and start laying claims to other people’s properties even without any genuine proof.
The areas affected include; Oki, Wofun, Alekuso, Ayenreti, Aba-Ada, Agoro, Oke-Ola, Arinkinkin, Agbede, Oke-Ola, Eketa-Omo, Isokan, Alaska among others and all the property owners have our legal documents while most of us have been here for over 30 years.
“We are using this medium to call on our dear Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to come to our rescue by stopping these miscreants from unleashing further violence and threat of attacks on us. We also make a strong appeal to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, The Commissioner of Police as well as all the security agencies in the state to do the needful and ensure that we do not lose our lives and properties to land grabbers and enemies of humanity”, Fadairo added.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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