Journalist’s Life Under Threat Over Land Dispute In Ekiti

By Joseph Sunday

Following a petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police, CP Akinwale Adeniran in Ekiti State, the life of a journalist has been under threat over land disputes with one Mr Olu Falade and family, who is reportedly claiming the ownership of the disputed landed property in Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State.

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In a petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, CP Akinwale Adeniran and a copy made available to Treasure Newspaper on Monday, it was gathered that Mr Idowu Adebomi, a journalist and an indigene of Iyin Ekiti is being threatened by one Mr Olu Falade and family due to a landed property said to have been left behind by the parents of the complainant (Mr & Mrs Olusola Adebomi).

Mr. Adebomi alleged that his life is under threat in his petition over the disputed land which was bequeathed to him by his parents of blessed memory.

According to the petition, dated 8th July, 2024, Mr Idowu Adebomi informed the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State about the threat to his life, and copied the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC); the Department of State Security Services (DSS), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ).

In his own words, Mr Idowu Adebomi, the petitioner who is an orphan, said the land and the building on it belongs to his late father Mr. Olusola Adebomi who died in year 2000 and was buried on the same land.

The petition stated that, “on the 3rd of July 2024 at about 4:00 pm he was accosted by Mr. Falade and family in company of Mrs Titilayo Falade, one Ejire and the mother of Mrs Titilayo Falade claiming to be the rightful owners of the land and the building on it.

Furthermore, Mr Adebomi, stated that “in the process of trying to explain to them and show them proofs, that he was mobbed and pushed around over this matter but stood firm that he will not handover his father’s property to them, the mother of Mrs. Titilayo Falade pointed at him (saying in Yoruba), “Ti o ba so wipe o ni jawo, emi e ma sonu si”. That is, he will loose his life if he refuse to stay away from the land in question!

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Mr. Idowu maintained that he was also threatened by Mr. Falade himself but that some respected persons waded into the matter and settled it on that faithful day.

Mr. Idowu maintained that he was also threatened by Mr. Falade himself but that some respected persons waded into the matter and settled it on that faithful day

However, when Mr. Falade made his threatening statement, I didn’t put much thought to it until his sister the mother of Titilayo Falade came and declared severally that my life will be cut short, then, I realized my life is in serious danger, said Mr. Adebomi.

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Mr. Idowu also said, “the family in a phone call threatened him to withdraw a post he shared on a Facebook page – Voice of Iyin on the night of 3rd July, 2024 where he appealed to Iyin indigene to persuade Mr. Falade and family to leave the matter of life out of the land dispute between them. “I only posted on the page to appeal to all Iyin sons and daughters to help me since my life is being threatened only to be called by the family the next day that I defamed their family and that I should write a public apology to them.

Mr. Adebomi said it is crystal clear that Mr. Falade and family are outlaws and an intruder who want to take over his late father’s property illegally by force. 

The complainant therefore called on the Nigeria Police force, and all concerned government authorities and traditional institutions to come to his aid because his life is now in serious danger over their inherited piece of land.

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¹PETITIONER

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