An Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife has ordered the Army to pay N200 million as damages to land owners in Kelebe-Omu, Olorunda Local Government Area of the state.
Plaintiffs in the land dispute – Chief Amodu Akanbi, Sulaiman Folorunsho, Alhaji Ibraheem Olabode, Rasaki Tiamiyu and Yekini Salawu – on behalf of the Kelebe-Omu Area land owner families, had filed a suit accusing the Army of selling the land, which was forcibly acquired from them, to an individual for personal use.
Justice A. O Ayoola said the defendants were using the acquired land for private purpose and not the public purpose for which the land was requisitioned by the Army.
He said: “The plaintiffs are hereby awarded N200 million as damages for the destruction of the land by the defendants. The defendants are to yield the possession of the land to the plaintiffs of Kelebe and Omu in Osogbo/Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun.”