‘Land grabbing’: Ogun assembly refers petition against popular Pastor to committee

Ogun state House of Assembly on Tuesday received a petition against popular Pastor, Mathew Ashimolowo on allegation bordering on harassment and intimidation in the course of land business transactions with the Arc-View investment limited. 

The petitioned by its CEO, Segun Oshundairo, was however referred to the House Committees on Justice, Ethics and Public Petitions as well as Lands and Housing.

The House Committee Chairman on Justice, Ethics and Public Petitions, Hon. Oluseun Adesanya, while presenting the petition before the State House of Assembly during the plenary did a brief on the allegations levelled against Ashimolowo in relation to the transactions on the land matter at the Blue Garden City, Mowe Town.

Responding, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, charged the committee to invite the concerned parties in the petition for further legislative deliberations.

A copy of the petition addressed to the Attorney General, Ogun State Ministry of Justice, which was made available to newsmen in Abeokuta indicated that Arc-View Investment Limited had bought and developed several acres of land from Pastor Ashimolowo at the Bluestone Gardens City in Ofada Town. 

“Recently, we negotiated and entered into an agreement to buy another 285acres of land from the same estate. We have so far been able to pay for 135acres from the land due to prevailing economic challenges in the country.

“We are however shocked to see that while we are still making efforts to complete payment for the entire land as agreed, Pastor Ashimolowo has resorted to forceful recovery of the entire land despite the subsisting agreement between us on the land. 

“The entire land as we speak has been fenced off by Pastor Ashimolowo. We are denied access to the land as thugs, touts and criminal elements have now been stationed on the land.

“Some of our staff have been intimated, beaten and assaulted by the thugs. We also have it on good authority that security operatives have been compromised on this matter. 

“The information getting to us is that Pastor Ashimolowo is about to sell the land to another company in other to cheat and swindle us by refunding the money we have so far paid for the 135acres back to us. 

“This is a clear case of fraudulent intimidation as we will be glad to be allocated the portion of the land we have paid for from the entire land. 

“Sir, as we write you, our subscribers and clients are becoming agitated, frustrated and restless as they are not able to be access the lands they have paid for. 

“We have ensured that all clients who pay us for landed properties get what they pay for. Over the last six years, we have developed and delivered more than 5,000 housing units in different parts of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo State,” the petition reads.

 The petitioner sought urgent intervention on the matter.