The Osun State Government has warned land grabbers, popularly known as Omo onile, to desist from their nefarious activities or face the full consequences of their illegal actions.
The state governor, Ademola Adeleke, made this known in a statement signed on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.
The statement said Adeleke, while responding to petitions that had flooded his office over harassment and molestation of artisans and contractors on building sites across Osun State, expressed disgust and anger at the reign of violence on innocent building workers by the so-called Omo oniles.
The statement warned that, “The government will not tolerate the gruesome tactics of the Omo onile in forcing landowners to part away with their hard earned money. Security agencies have been instructed to go hard on anyone involved in the unwholesome practice.
“I have received several petitions from Osogbo, Ife, Ilesa, Ikirun, Iwo, and almost every major town in Osun State. Recently, I received more than three petitions from Osogbo alone, where perpetrators allegedly maimed and even killed some site workers,” the Governor was quoted as saying.
“I have reports of the seizure of work equipment belonging to artisans and even the illegal detention of contractors and site workers. All these must stop forthwith.
“I have subsequently directed security agencies to conduct special operations to go after perpetrators. Our administration will not tolerate brazen lawlessness and unwarranted disruption of the livelihoods of innocent citizens.
“I’m also requesting victims of these untoward activities to report such incidents to law enforcement agencies for appropriate actions.”