By: Titilayo Adewale
The quiet of a once-peaceful Ibadan neighborhood was shattered on Friday night when a group of armed land grabbers launched a brutal attack on a private residence, leaving one man severely injured and a family in hiding.
The terrifying incident occurred around 10:35 p.m. at No. 11 Onilu Lane, Akingbile, where the victim, Mr. Olusegun Abayomi, was viciously assaulted and left unconscious in a pool of blood.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as “nightmarish.” The attackers, armed with guns, cutlasses, and sticks, stormed the house and descended on Abayomi with terrifying ferocity. He was beaten mercilessly, hacked in the head and legs, and left barely clinging to life. Blood stained the walls of the home—a grim testament to the violence.
“It was like something out of a horror movie,” said a visibly shaken resident. “They kept shouting and asking for someone named Olakunle Ojo. When they didn’t find him, they turned their rage on Mr. Abayomi. He didn’t deserve this. No one does.”
Sources revealed that the gang had previously visited the home, issuing threats and demanding Olakunle Ojo’s whereabouts. Just days before the attack, a chilling threat had been posted on the wall of the building—a warning residents never imagined would be acted upon so swiftly and savagely.
Now, Ojo and his entire family have gone into hiding, gripped by fear and uncertainty over whether they can ever return home.
The community is living in fear, traumatized and unsure if the gang will return. “They said they’re not done,” another resident revealed. “They promised to come back. We’re all scared—no one feels safe anymore.”
This brazen attack highlights a growing menace in Oyo State—land grabbing. Despite a 2022 state law criminalizing the act and prescribing up to 15 years in prison, enforcement remains weak. Many residents blame the persistence of the crime on poor policing and the complicity of corrupt officials.
“This isn’t just about land,” a community elder said with frustration. “It’s about life and death. How can people sleep peacefully when thugs are the ones deciding who stays and who disappears?”
As Mr. Abayomi continues to recover from his injuries, and the Ojo family remains in hiding, the residents of Akingbile cry out—not just for justice, but for protection and an end to the terror that now lurks in the shadows of their community.
