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Three weeks after armed robbers invaded his home at Owode Housing Estate Phase 2, made away with valuables and inflicted injuries on him and his wife, a staff of Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) Moore Plantation, Ibadan, Mr. Olawale Olayiwola, has petitioned Oyo State Housing Corporation saying that the agency had abandoned the estate and left it without security.
Olayiwola, who submitted his petition on Tuesday, called on the corporation to take steps to develop the estate located close to Apata, along the Ibadan-Abeokuta road, arguing that the present state of underdevelopment of the estate has made it a fertile ground for armed robbers and other criminals.
According to him, up to 1,000 plots of lands in the estate have been allocated to individuals inthe past 20 to 25 years, but less than 50 plots were developed and occupied, while the rest have turned into thick forests.
President, Owode Estate phase 2 landlord’s association, Barrister Oluwole Oyewole, speaking for residents of the estate, confirmed the attack on Mr. Olayiwola and advised the state government and the corporation to revoke undeveloped lands.
He said: “What happened to Mr. Olayiwola is one of the series of attacks in the estate. The major reason is that about 95 per cent of lands in the estate are not developed, this make the area porous. We have reported to the state government and the housing corporation. Let them revoke the undeveloped lands. They should give it to those who are ready to develop the lands. We are praying that the government come to our rescue.
Narrating how he was robbed on Saturday July 18, 2020, Olayiwola said: “Two people came with mask and demanded we should open the door. When we tried to inform neighbours on phone, they started removing the burglary proofs on the window. Immediately they entered, they attacked my wife and I, and escaped through the window. Two houses were affected.
“Oyo state housing corporation owns the landed properties in my community but out of about 1000 plots which had been allocated to individuals for the past 20 to 25 years, less than 50 plots were developed and occupied, others have grown into thick forest which puts the lives of inhabitants in to danger.
“We have tried severally to reach Housing and Oyo state government, all to no avail. Some owners of the land have more than one plot and are not ready to develop the land. Government stands to make a lot of money if these plots are allocated to the serious individuals. My wife spent three days at a private hospital while I spent 19 days at UCH where I underwent an operation.”
He said the robbers made away with money and wallet containing his identity card, driver’s license, passport photograph and voters card.
In his reaction, Director of Information and Public Relations, Oyo State Housing Corporation, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, disclosed that the corporation has given an ultimatum to the land owners to begin to develop their lands of have them revoked.
His words: “Our position is that we are not unaware of some plots of lands that are not developed. Recently, we told those who have lands there to develop them.
“We have informed them that anyone who fails to develop their lands risk forfeit of the lands. We will do the needful by revoking the abandoned lands. We have our own security that are working in the estate”.