Members of Adogun Atele family have told an Ogun State High Court how defendants in the suit are using the influence of former president Olusegun Obasanjo to harass and intimidate them over a family land located at Sogunro village, Itele Awori in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The allegation was contained in a motion on notice brought pursuant to Order 13 Rule 17(1) of the High Court of Ogun State Civil procedure Rules 2014 filed by Sunday Owotolu, Chief Taoreed Dada and Alhaji Monsuru Yusuf (claimants) against a couple, Chief Abraham Akanle who is a brother to ex-president Obasanjo and his wife, Mrs. Taiwo Akanle, over the disputed land.
The claimant further told the court that the defendants allegedly threatened to use security agencies to frame members of their family with trumped up charges.
Besides, the family is praying the court for an order joining Gbenga Ibuoye Nigeria Limited, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel and the Attorney-General of the Federation as 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants.
The family told the court that Gbenga Ibuoye Nigeria Limited has a subsisting quarry lease to excavate laterite on the disputed land issued by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel.
The claimants had in suit number HCT/02/2020 filed by their lawyer, Olanrewaju Balogun, prayed the court for an order directing the defendants, their agents and privies to vacate the land in dispute.
In a 20-page affidavit in support of the Motion on Notice, deposed to by Chief Taoreed Dada, he alleged that the defendants, acting under the disguise of protecting the ‘defective title’ of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s land, brought tipper operators to collect laterites on their family land.
He stated that the defendants are strangers and not related to Adogun Atele family, but are using the influence of the former President to harass and intimidate the claimant’s family members.