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The Oyo State government has been accused of arresting protesters who demonstrated against the forceful takeover of their land.
The landed property is said to be opposite Gbagi market in Ibadan, the state capital.
According to Good Legacy, a socio-political group, the protesters were exercising their rights with the protest and should not be arrested in a democratic government.
The group urged the Governor Seyi Makinde-led state government to release the protesters.
This was just as it asked the Nigerian police not to take side but be professional in dealing with the station.
Their arrest SaharaReporters learnt was made after a video of the protest went viral on TikTok.
The residents were seen in the video protesting and showing the documents they have over the land.
Segun Ogundiran, secretary of the group in a statement made available to SaharaReporters said the state government should have be sensitive to the demands of the protesters instead of arresting them.
“We have credible information that those old people who protested against the planned take over of their lands have been arrested and would be taken to court anytime from now,” the statement read.
“Why we are of the opinion that protest is one of the legitimate rights of every citizens, we would have thought that a government like the incumbent wouldn’t have resorted into this kind of action.
“The government’s action is a clear violation of the people’s rights and an attempt to dispossess them of their ancestral land. We will not stand idly by while the government tramples on the rights of our people.”
The group claims that the land in question is being taken over by the state government without considering the necessary documents the people have, adding that “occupants of the lands said they got approval from the Federal government and they have since then been paying necessary fees.”
It vowed to continue fighting for the rights of the community and to hold the government accountable for its actions.
“We demand that the government releases the arrested protesters immediately and unconditionally. We also demand that the government respects the rights of our people and stops the forceful takeover of our land,” the statement added.
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