OGUN ASSEMBLY INTERVENES TO SETTLE COMMUNITY LAND DISPUTE WITH MILITARY IN IJEBU-NORTH EAST
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By: Fasasi Hammad
The Ogun State House of Assembly has assured community leaders and residents of Apunren and surrounding villages near Erunwon in Ijebu-North East and parts of Ijebu-East Local Government Area that immediate steps will be taken to address tensions arising from disputed military land acquisitions.
Speaker Oludaisi Elemide gave the assurance on Wednesday while leading a delegation of lawmakers on an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas. He pledged that the Assembly would compile its findings and present them to the Governor, as well as engage federal legislative and executive authorities to secure a lasting solution.
Elemide explained that the crisis stemmed from the failure to properly gazette and document an earlier reduction of land allocated to the Nigerian Army. He commended Honourables Oluwaseun Adesanya and Waliu Owode, who represent the affected constituencies, for their efforts in addressing the matter.
The Speaker urged residents to remain peaceful and law-abiding, advising that all affected communities formally communicate with the Assembly. He assured that the lawmakers would deliberate on the issue and adopt resolutions to be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for a permanent solution.
Honourables Adesanya and Owode also appealed for calm, promising a sustainable resolution for the affected communities.
State Surveyor-General, Oladele Ewulo, noted that his team had conducted an initial assessment of the land and would carry out further investigations to guide stakeholders toward a peaceful resolution.
The Kabiyesi of Apunren Kingdom, Oba Jimson Oyelaja, appealed to the Assembly for intervention in the long-standing dispute, which he said has persisted for nearly 50 years. He lamented the recent demolitions, loss of lives, and destruction of schools, hospitals, houses, and properties linked to the disputed acquisition, stressing that Apunren and surrounding villages have existed for over 600 years.
In a presentation to the delegation, Major General S. A. Odunsi (Rtd) explained that the Apunren community seeks legislative intervention to reclaim ancestral lands excessively acquired by the military in 1977. He noted that although a reduced portion had been agreed for military use, a 1987 gazette controversially reinstated the larger expanse, leaving the people in decades of uncertainty.
The retired General urged the Assembly to treat the matter urgently, calling on the government to make 2026 a “year of jubilee” for the affected communities.
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