The allegations, captured in a video made available to SaharaReporters on Wednesday, paint a picture of systematic abuse of authority and severe human suffering in the community.

Some residents of Ewu Lemo of Sagamu Local Government Area in Ogun State have accused Nigerian police officers of colluding with land grabbers to dispossess villagers of their properties.

The displaced residents described the situation as “heart-breaking” and demanded urgent government intervention. 

The allegations, captured in a video made available to SaharaReporters on Wednesday, paint a picture of systematic abuse of authority and severe human suffering in the community.

A resident featured in the video alleged that the key players behind the scheme are working hand in glove with the police.

He said: “It is disheartening because when I went to Elewe-Eran, the police force headquarters in Abeokuta, you would see all these land grabbers sitting around there as if it's their personal office and they're even telling the police what to do.

He said, “They say, yeah, the developer will come. We have invited him to come. Which developer? The person to whom they cede the land.

“I was there, I attended the meeting, and I told the DC CID (Detective Constable, Criminal Investigation Department). I said, while these people are putting up a fence on my land, he was still telling us that we ha to wait for a week for him to provide some body. I said, what's going on here?

“The government needs to come in. How can you displace people and the authority is not doing anything? And I'm telling you, some of those children who were displaced from the village are traumatised and they may live for the rest of their lives in that trauma if it's not addressed. The elderly will die of many untimely deaths, many of them because of what happened in our village, Ewu Lemo.”

Another resident described the environmental devastation left in the wake of the land grabbers’ activities.

He said: “As we're speaking today, if you go to our village, they have felled all the trees - kolanut plantation, cocoa plantation, orange, everything is being destroyed. Mr. President, sir, you need to come to Ewu Lemo and the environment to see the terrible damage that these terrorists have done.

“This development is heartbreaking. It shows that these terrorists are well organised and protected by the people at the top. Such is destroying the good image and efforts of the federal government to ensure that lives and properties are protected. 

“They are denting the good image of President Tinubu as we Yorubas are amazed to see that it is under his rule as a president that this kind of terrorism is happening in Yoruba land with a lack of seriousness to combat it.”

A statement made available to SaharaReporters further condemned the alleged collusion, warning of the broader consequences of police corruption.

The statement reads: “Corrupt practices by police officers do have far-reaching consequences, particularly when they enable land grabbers to dispossess rightful landowners of their properties. 

“Such actions do not only undermine the rule of law but also erode trust in law enforcement agencies. When police officers collude with land grabbers, they compromise their duty to protect the citizens and uphold justice, perpetuating a cycle of impunity and corruption. #EnoughIsEnough.

“To maintain the integrity of law enforcement in Ogun State, it is now essential to hold all officers involved in terrorism and its associated crime in Ewu-Lemo accountable for their actions, whether they are senior or junior officers, whether they are retired or still in active duty. Enough is enough!

“It is also important for law enforcement agencies to prioritise their duty to serve and protect the public. By doing so, we can restore faith in our institutions and promote a just society where the rights of all citizens are respected and protected. This requires a commitment to transparency, accountability, and a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption within the police force.”