Ibese Residents Protest Alleged Land Encroachment, Call for Ogun Government Intervention

Ibese Residents Demand Government Action Against Alleged Land Encroachment

Residents of Ibese in Yewa North Local Government Area, Ogun State, have staged a peaceful protest over what they describe as the territorial rebranding of their land and unlawful operations misrepresenting local geography.

The protest, which took place on Saturday, saw community members march through the streets with placards reading:

• “Stop False Territorial Claims”

• “No to Encroachment”

• “Ibese United Against Encroachment”

• “Our Land, Our Right. Government Intervene Now!!”

• “Frontier FM and Hotel Should Not Trespass Ibese”

Residents Highlight Alleged Encroachment

Addressing journalists, Mr. Luqman Alagbe, General Secretary of the Ibese Youth Association, explained that the protest followed reports of a radio station falsely broadcasting its location as Ilaro, despite operating on Ibese land.

Alagbe described the misrepresentation as a strategic attempt to legitimize ongoing land-grabbing, which could distort official records, digital maps, commercial listings, and public perception, threatening Ibese’s historical and territorial integrity.

“Ibese Community stands firm on the following facts: Frontier Hotel sits squarely on Ibese land, and the radio station operating within its premises is automatically on Ibese soil,” Alagbe said.

He added that the community possesses documentary, traditional, historical, and administrative proof of their boundaries.

Call for Urgent Intervention

The residents have called on the Ogun State Government, relevant ministries, security agencies, and the boundary commission to halt the alleged false territorial rebranding and prevent any unlawful operations that misrepresent local geography.

“The government should intervene before tension escalates and sanction any individual or institution promoting false claims. We honour authority and uphold peace, but we will not fold our arms while our ancestral identity is being erased,” the community warned.

The protest reflects rising concerns over land disputes in Ogun State, highlighting the need for prompt government action to protect the rights and heritage of local communities.