ABEOKUTA — Tension has gripped Libegun Aregbe community in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State following allegations by residents that the state government has moved heavy-duty equipment into the community to clear portions of land they claim were reserved for future expansion.

The development reportedly occurred on Saturday night, with community leaders alleging that a bulldozer was deployed to the area without prior consultation with the indigenous people.

The residents claimed that the affected land was part of the remaining ancestral property of the community, which they said had existed for more than 400 years.

The Baale of Libegun Aregbe, Chief John Akinsola, said the community had earlier accepted the government’s acquisition of more than 100 hectares of its land in 2020 for housing development, but expressed concern that further encroachment could threaten the survival of the settlement.

According to him, the community supported the government’s development plans at the time, but expected the remaining land to be preserved for the expansion and future needs of the people.

“In 2020, the state government came into our land without any dialogue. They took over more than 100 hectares. We accepted the process because we support development, but this land has been in existence for over 400 years. The people of Libegun Aregbe also deserve to survive,” he said.

The community leaders also alleged that the perimeter fence erected after the 2020 acquisition was understood to mark the boundary of the government-acquired land, leaving the remaining portion for the community.

They further complained that despite the presence of government housing developments in the area, the community had not benefited adequately from basic amenities such as potable water, electricity and street lighting.

President of the Indigenous People of Libegun Aregbe, Engr. Olawale Julius Olumuyiwa, described the latest deployment of machinery as an “invasion” and appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene.

Olumuyiwa urged the state government to suspend further work in the disputed area and engage the community leadership in dialogue to prevent a possible confrontation.

However, the Ogun State Commissioner for Housing, Jagunmolu Omoniyi Akande, dismissed the allegation of unlawful encroachment, saying the land in question falls within an existing government acquisition.

Akande explained that the area is contiguous to ongoing developments around Kobape and falls within a 1.5-kilometre government acquisition corridor established for development purposes.

The commissioner said the government’s plan was to commence another phase of housing development in the area in response to increasing demand for residential accommodation along the Kobape axis.

He maintained that the ministry was acting within the law and would use all lawful means to execute the planned housing project.

The conflicting positions have heightened concerns among residents, with community stakeholders calling for an immediate meeting involving the governor, officials of the Ministry of Housing and representatives of Libegun Aregbe.

They said such engagement would help clarify the boundaries of the government acquisition, address the concerns of the indigenous people and prevent the land dispute from escalating into a confrontation.

While the community insists that its remaining ancestral land must be protected, the state government maintains that the area forms part of a legally acquired corridor earmarked for housing and other public development.