Gbenga Daniel Petitions Senate Over Illegal Acquisition of Ancestral Land

Senator Gbenga Daniel has raised a petition in the Senate on behalf of the Apunren Development Association in Ijebu North East Local Government Area of Ogun State over an alleged acquisition of ancestral land by the Nigerian Army.

Presenting the petition during plenary, Daniel told his colleagues that members of the community approached him after failed repeated efforts to resolve the matter.
He said the people were protesting what they described as an unlawful takeover of land they had occupied for centuries.

“This matter is not before any court of law,” the former Ogun State governor told the Senate. “The people have appealed to the National Assembly for urgent intervention to prevent further hardship and restore peace in the affected communities.”

Following the presentation, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, directing the committee to investigate and report back within three weeks.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State House of Assembly has stepped into the dispute. The Speaker, Hon Oludaisi Elemide, disclosed this during an on the spot assessment of Apunren and other affected villages, where he led members of the Assembly to inspect the disputed areas.

Elemide assured residents that the state legislature would not ignore their plight. “We will compile our findings and present them to the Governor at the state level,” he said. “We will also engage the legislative and executive arms of government at the federal level to achieve a lasting solution.”

He explained that the crisis was linked to failures in documentation and gazetting of earlier agreements that reduced the portion of land allocated to the military. According to him, lapses in the process later created room for renewed claims and enforcement.

The Speaker commended the lawmakers representing the affected constituencies, Honourables Oluwaseun Adesanya and Waliu Owode, for their interventions, while urging residents to remain calm and law abiding. “As elected representatives, we are already engaging relevant authorities to address this issue,” Elemide added.

Adesanya and Owode also assured the communities of sustained efforts toward a permanent resolution. “We understand the pains of our people,” Adesanya said. “They should remain peaceful while we intensify engagements at all necessary levels.”

Providing technical insight, the State Surveyor General, Surveyor Oladele Ewulo, disclosed that his office had commenced assessment of the land. “We have carried out an initial survey and further investigations will follow,” he said. “The outcome will guide stakeholders toward a peaceful and sustainable resolution.”

Speaking on behalf of the traditional institution, the Kabiyesi of Apunren Kingdom, Oba Jimson Owode Oyelaja, appealed to the House of Assembly to intervene decisively. He described the dispute as one that had lingered for nearly 50 years.

“Our communities have existed for over 600 years,” the monarch said. “What we are experiencing today includes demolitions, destruction of schools, hospitals and houses, as well as loss of lives, all linked to the enforcement of this disputed acquisition.”

He urged his subjects to remain calm and expressed hope that the lawmakers’ visit signalled relief. “This visit gives us confidence that a lasting solution is near,” Oba Oyelaja said.

Earlier, a presentation delivered by Major General S. A. Odunsi (Rtd) stated that the land in question was excessively acquired by the military in 1977. He explained that although a reduced portion was later agreed upon for military use, a 1987 gazette reinstated the larger expanse, plunging the communities into decades of uncertainty.

“The people are seeking legislative intervention to restore their ancestral lands,” Odunsi said. “As this dispute approaches its 50th anniversary, we appeal to government to make 2026 a year of jubilee for the affected communities.”