By Solanke Ayomideji Taiwo
Residents of Libegun Aregbe raise the alarm over heavy machinery on remaining ancestral land, while state authorities insist development falls within legally acquired government zones.
ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA — Tensions are escalating in Libegun Aregbe, an ancient community in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, following fresh allegations of land encroachment levied against the Ogun State Ministry of Housing by local residents and traditional leadership.
Residents and indigenous stakeholders raised the alarm on Sunday, August 23, 2026, claiming that state authorities moved heavy earth-moving equipment into the community overnight to begin clearing the remaining land reserved for the village's expansion.
Community Concerns: Survival and Extinction
Community leaders allege that the fresh push follows a 2020 acquisition in which the Ogun State Government took over more than 100 hectares of Libegun Aregbe land for state housing projects. While residents say they initially accepted the previous takeover in support of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s development agenda, they argue that further expansion threatens the sheer existence of their over 400-year-old settlement.
> "In the year 2020, the state government came into our land without any dialogue... They took over more than 100 hectares. We accepted the process because we support development, but this land has been in existence for over 400 years. The people of Libegun Aregbe also deserve to survive."
> — Chief John Akinsola, Baale of Libegun Aregbe
Community leaders highlighted several key grievances regarding the ongoing development:
* Boundary Overreach: A perimeter fence erected following the 2020 acquisition was meant to mark the official boundary, leaving the remaining land for community expansion.
* Lack of Infrastructure Sharing: Indigenous leaders allege that despite hosting state housing estates, the village has not been provided access to basic amenities like potable water from estate boreholes, electricity, or streetlights.
Threat of Displacement: Stakeholders warn that encroaching past the established 2020 boundary leaves no room for future generations, threatening the village with structural extinction.
Engr. Olawale Julius Olumuyiwa, President of the Indigenous People of Libegun Aregbe, described the sudden deployment of a bulldozer on the night of Saturday, August 22, as an direct invasion, appealing to Governor Abiodun to intervene and order housing officials to halt operations.
Government Response: Lawful Acquisition and Regional Growth
Responding to the allegations, the Ogun State Commissioner for Housing, Jagunmolu Omoniyi Akande, clarified the government's position, stating that the land in question is contiguous to existing developments in Kobape and falls squarely within an established 1.5-kilometer government acquisition corridor.
Legal Mandate: The Housing Ministry maintains that the land is part of a legally designated acquisition zone intended for public infrastructure and residential housing expansion in the Obafemi-Owode local council.
Phased Development: The state government is preparing to construct a new phase of housing units to meet growing residential demand in the Kobape axis.
Lawful Execution: Commissioner Akande affirmed that the state government is prepared to utilize all lawful means to execute the housing phase planned for the area.
Calls for Immediate Dialogue
With machinery present and residents expressing anxiety over potential demolition or land-clearing activities, community stakeholders are calling for urgent round-table talks between Governor Dapo Abiodun, Ministry of Housing representatives, and the village leadership to prevent further confrontation and reach a peaceful resolution.
