Six weeks after the forceful occupation of about 250 houses in Ire Akari Estate, Soka Ibadan by hoodlums, residents of the estate have cried out over increasing insecurity and incessant armed robbery in the neighbourhood by the hoodlums.
The residents, while addressing journalists on Thursday, lamented that lives and property were no longer safe in the estate as residents were being attacked by thugs both day and night if they failed to part with money.
DAILY POST learnt that about 7,000 residents live in the estate which contained over 250 buildings.
The siege was said to have affected the houses of some prominent individuals including the President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Waheed Odusile and the Vice Chancellor of Technical University, Oyo state, Professor Ayobami Salami.
Salami has however explained that he did not own any building in the troubled estate and that he has never lived in any buildings in the said location.
The VC, who spoke through Mr. Femi Babatunde, Public Relations Officer of the university in a statement sent to DAILY POST, said although the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adesola Ajayi once lived in the said estate in an apartment rented personally, he had since relocated from the estate.
Babatunde, who issued the statement on behalf of the VC, said, “With respect to this and for the records, I wish to state as follows:
“That there is no truth in the claim that the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ayobami Salami, is one of the victims of the said attack at Ire Akari Estate, Soka, Ibadan.
“That the VC does not own and has never lived in any building in the said location.
“That although, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Adesola Ajayi once lived in the said Estate in an apartment he rented personally, he has since relocated from the area. Even at that, the house in which Professor Ajayi once lived was not affected by the said incident.
“I count on your prompt action on the above.”
DAILY POST gathered that trouble started about two months ago when three families of Chief Emmanuel Ashamu, Chief Femi Majekodumi, Oyenike Ogunsola and late Ganiyu Bello reportedly secured a Supreme Court judgment ceding part of the 30-year-old estate to them.
Chairman, Ire Akari Estate Landlord Association, Engr Adetunji Adelani, who spoke on behalf of residents on Thursday, stated the security situation in the estate has worsened as residents now live under fear.
He said all efforts to bring peace have proved abortive as hoodlums now break into people’s homes at will.
Adelani, who called on well-meaning Nigerians to rescue them from the hands of the hoodlums, declared that over 85 per cent of the affected property were sold to them by the families that secured the judgment.
He said, “We have been to the state governor Abiola Ajimobi, the Olubadan palace and held meetings with the families that owned the land according to the judgment. And we have agreed to pay N200,000 which at least over 99 out of the 250 house owners have started paying . Yet, the hoodlums have refused to let us have peace.
“Many have started relocating from the estate while some have even died of shock since this crisis started. We are forced to be paying money before we can go out of the estate as the thugs have taken over the whole place. That is why we are appealing to the President, Muhammadu Buhari to help us because we don’t want anarchy in this estate.”
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