Lalekan Are’s family insists on ownership of 58-year-old Ibadan property

A dispute has emerged over the ownership of a 20-acre plot of land in Ibadan, Nigeria, acquired by the late Dr. Lalekan Are in 1968. The Akindipe family is now claiming ownership of a significant portion of the land, which includes Dr. Are's property located behind Bode Foam, Galilee Area, Oki, Olodo.

According to Mr. Adedamola Are, a beneficiary of Dr. Are's estate, the family holds a valid Indenture from 1968 and a Certificate of Statutory Rights of Occupancy obtained in 1982. He also noted a previous court judgment that dismissed a case instituted against Dr. Are by other claimants. Despite these legal documents, the Akindipe family's claim has led to a contentious situation.

The property, which includes a farm with citrus and mango trees, has allegedly been subjected to repeated invasions by individuals described as land grabbers. During a recent incident, farm workers and a security guard were reportedly arrested and detained by the police for defending themselves against intruders. The situation escalated when hoodlums allegedly broke into the farm, padlocked the gate, and forcibly removed workers. The invaders are accused of bulldozing trees, destroying pipe networks and wiring, stealing generators, and damaging the piggery, which reportedly housed 51 pigs at the time.

Further complicating matters, the Are family reported that police from the Oyo State Police Command's Monitoring Unit were involved in arresting individuals found on the land, including surveyors and those cutting down trees with chainsaws. These individuals were reportedly clearing perimeter trees, topsoil, and had set up a brick-making machine and a signboard indicating they were selling parcels of the land, suggesting an attempt to legitimize their encroachment.