By Lekan Lisoye
The Bantun of Egbaland and Odofin Itoku township in Abeokuta South Local Government area of Ogun State, Chief Kehinde Sofenwa has been arrested by Ogun State Command of Nigeria Police.
Chief Sofenwa it was learnt was detained at the Oke-Itoku divisional headquarters and later transferred to the Egba Owode divisional headquarters over his alleged involvement in a land sales deal.
Living Guide reports that the Chief was alleged to have, in collaboration with some Itoku Chiefs, sold a vast expanse of land belonging to Itoku township in their homesteads located at Afo village via Kobape in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area for a whooping sum of Thirty-Five Million Naira (N35,000,000).
Investigation revealed that the land involved measured about 25 acres which Chief Sofenwa and other Chiefs sold at N1.4m per acre.
Following a report made by the Baale in Afo Itoku Village to the Nigeria Police in Owode Egba, Chief Kehinde Sofenwa, it was learnt was invited by the Police for interrogation.
It was gathered that he was released on bail as Chief Wole Odekunle, the Bada Asoju Oba Egba stood on for him, but refused to report at the same station on Thursday as requested by the Officer-in-charge while his whereabouts were not known until his arrest on Sunday evening at Oke Itoku, Abeokuta, before he was moved to Owode Egba for his possible arraignment.
It will be recalled that the Oluwo Itoku, Chief (Engr) Soji Sodamola was, in February this year reported to have also jumped bail after being alleged to have harassed and criminally assaulted the Baale of Afo Itoku village in ORILE ITOKU, Chief Elijah Oluwole Osoba over the same land dispute and was reported to have travelled to the United Kingdom.
When contacted, the Secretary of, the Itoku Development Association, Alhaji Tajudeen Kasali frowned at the level of corruption being perpetrated by High Chiefs in Itoku in their homesteads adding that enough should be enough.
Alhaji Kasali also hinted that his association will stop at nothing to recover all Itoku resources and landed properties that the Chiefs who are supposed to be custodians of these legacies have sold illegally and fraudulently diverted the proceeds for personal use out of cheer arrogance of power.
The Baale of Afo Itoku, Chief Elijah Oluwole Osoba lamented that the Chiefs have been acting absolutely on Itoku resources which they have no right of ownership over.
He said that this impunity would be checked by good sons and daughters of Itoku for the benefit of posterity.
He has been released o.
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