A couple in Ibadan, Oyo state has raised alarm over an alleged land grabbing and intimidation by their relations.
The couple, Mr. Ridwan Olalekan Saka and Mrs. Sakirat Omobolanle Saka, appealed to Nigerians and civil rights organizations in the country to prevail on their family members to toe path of peaceful settlement of the matter.
Speaking with journalists during a women advocacy programme in Lagos, Mrs. Saka said that family members of her husband were determined to claim ownership of the 36 acres of land located at Ido local government of Oyo state, which she said her husband inherited from his late father.
As a result, she said that both her and her husband including their only child had suffered both physical and spiritual torture from her in-laws.
In her words, “At a point, an assasination attempt and serious spiritual manhunt was launched against my family as our home was invaded by armed men which was what, led to us fleeing away from Ibadan over the night, for the safety of my immediate family.
Mrs. Saka said that efforts to get justice from law enforcement agencies had proved futile due to influence of the family members, said to be involved in the alleged land grabbing.
A native of Oremeji, in Ibadan North East local government area of Oyo state, Mrs Saka said that the travail started from the moment her husband wanted to take possession of the inherited land and eventually got to realize that some of his family members, precisely the late father’s siblings has been selling some portion of the land, adding that all these were being done without her husband consent.
“Upon challenging the decision of unauthorized sales of the land, the family came up with war against my family. Till this very moment, our lives are still being threatened and there’s a serious physical and spiritual manhunt against my immediate family, as we got to know through credible security report.” She said.
She added, “I found it pathetic to witness this act of inhumane treatment from those who are supposed to my family. We now sleep and wake up everyday in danger, heart full of fear and mind full of panic. I’m sad to say that at this very stage, we do not even know which way forward anymore.”
“This is to hereby call on civil societies and well meaning justice seekers in Nigeria to come to our rescue and further protect us from being harmed”, she said.
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