The people of Okuan quarters in Ipe Akoko, Akoko Southeast local government area of Ondo state have urged the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman to check the activities of the Commander of Nigerian Police Force Area Command, Iwaro Oka Akoko, Blessing Gottoh, over his role in the land crisis rocking the community after allegedly taking bribe.
This is coming after one of the residents of Okuan quarters, Gbadebo Oloruntobi was arrested by the Iwaro area command over a clash with one Animasahun Sunday, who was alleged to have trespassed on the Okuan land by indiscriminately erecting a building on the land.
TheCity gathered that Gbadebo was arrested on Monday after the clash and was immediately taken to the Magistrate court in Isua Akoko on Tuesday, where a three-count charge was pressed against him by the police. The Judge, however adjourned the case till April.
A Community youth leader, Amodu Bayo, who narrated the genesis of the incident, said the particular land brewing this crisis was won by the Okuan quarters after a judgment was given in their favour against Okua quarter in Isua Akoko by an Oka Akoko High Court on July 2nd, 2018.
However, a particular quarter in Ipe Akoko, Ipaso quarter has allegedly continued to trespass on the Okuan land.
According to the youth leader, Bayo Amodu, “The people of Ipaso quarter has continued to use the area commander in Iwaro to bully and molest our people illegally. We are tired of this abuse of our rights.
“Going by the judgment of the court, we are the owner of this land in question and all we ask for is that no one should encroach our land.
“The people of Ipaso quarter will always bribe the area commander in Iwaro to support their illegal act and this is not the first time the area commander will be taking bribe to abuse our rights.
“We were rescued from him by the Ondo state commissioner of police last year after he arrested some of our people for speaking up against the encroach of their land and he has again thrown one of us in remand.
“Mr. Gbadebo is innocent but was arrested 3pm on Monday and sent to court by 7am on Tuesday without proper investigation. This has shown how desperate the area commander can be.
“We are pleading with the Inspector General of Police and the Ondo state Commissioner of Police to come to our aide and rescue us from this power drunk police officer. ” Bayo noted.
The Area Commander Is Corrupt And Unfit To Lead The Command – Youth Group
In the same vein, the Coalition of Nigeria Youths oun Security and Safety Affairs (CONYSSA) has alleged the Commander of the Nigerian Police Force, Iwaro Area Command in Ondo state, Blessing Gottoh of being “too money conscious”.
This allegation was made known by the Director General of the group, Ambassador Ade Mario Emmanuel in a telephone chat with TheCity.
“The area commander is too money conscious. We have it on record that he has once arrested a person and extorted that particular person to the tune of N100,000.
“It took the intervention of the commissioner of police in Ondo state who ordered him to refund the money back to the innocent man. We are also aware that he has been arresting innocent persons in Ipe Akoko area of Ondo state despite the obvious lack of evidence against them until the Commissioner of Police ordered that these persons be released. He has arrested another person in that community again and without proper investigation, has thrown him in remand.
“His actions have shown how desperate he is for money and unfit to handle the roles of an area commander.
“We want the Commissioner of Police to act fast before this crisis grows beyond what can be controlled.” He said
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