Police arrest three for allegedly destroying farmland in Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command on Thursday said it has arrested three suspects for allegedly destroying farmland belonging to one Mr Dada Tope in Ado-Odo local government area of the state.

The suspects are Amosu Yaopaul, Victor Samuel and Bogbe Bateremi.

Spokesperson of the command, Omolola Odutola, told DAILY POST that on Wednesday, Mr Tope, 38, reported that on visiting his farm at Okojo Onilogbo, he discovered the suspects uprooting and damaging his palm trees.

Odutola stated that on the information, operatives of the command were dispatched to the location where the suspects were apprehended.

“ On Wednesday at about 1200hrs a man named Dada Tope ‘M’, aged 38, resident of Ado-Odo, Ogun State complained to the station that at about 1000hrs he went to his farm at Okojo Onilogbo where he found three men identified as Amosu Yaopaul ‘M’, Victor Samuel ‘M’, and Bogbe Bateremi ‘M’ destroying and uprooting his palm trees.

“ The men claimed that their leader, one Oluwaseun Sunday ‘M’, instructed them to uproot the trees.

“ During questioning the complainant explained that he purchased the palm trees with a deposit of fifty-five thousand naira N55,000 from one Suru Jacob ‘M’, also known as Baba Ope, Arise Sunday ‘M’, Solomon Oriyomi ‘M’ and others whose identities are unknown.

She commended the swift response of the officers saying, there have been occurrences in the past where similar situations have resulted in multiple deaths, with the bodies of the victims left in the farmland.

Odutola, however, advised the public to adopt a diplomatic stance in notifying the police of any farmland invasions as well as any other suspicious activity rather than taking laws into their own hands.