Alleged Fraud: Kwara TIC Chairman Sat on Citizens’ Land Fees, Defeated PDP Candidate Petitions for Refund

Kwara, [July 19, 2023] – Mr Salahudeen Lukman, the defeated People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ojomu/Balogun Constituency at the Kwara State House of Assembly, has called on Honourable Thomas Olatundun, the Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) Chairman of Offa local government, to refund individuals who entrusted him with their hard-earned money to purchase plots of lands.

In a statement personally signed by Salahudeen on Wednesday morning, he expressed his deep concern after hearing people’s lamentations on a radio program aired on Harmony 103.5 FM in Idofian, Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state. According to the affected individuals, their efforts to reclaim their money have been in vain, leaving them in distress.

Lukman emphasised the importance of encouraging indigenes and residents to invest in Offa for the town’s development and transformation into an enviable smart community, a vision passionately championed by the Olofa of Offaland, Oba Mufutau Muhammed Oloyede Gbadamosi, Okikiola Esuwoye II, Ajagungbade I.

He further highlighted the disheartening discrepancies in the land purchase transactions, with some individuals receiving receipts, others getting land allocations, and a few receiving neither. Lukman deemed these dubious acts as a targeted ploy to defraud and exploit hardworking people.

Calling for swift action, Lukman appealed to Honourable Olatundun, the TIC Chairman of Offa Local Government, to expedite the process of refunding those who paid for the disputed and elusive lands. He set a timeframe of 14 working days, starting from Wednesday, July 19, 2023, for the refunds to be made.

However, Mr Lukman warned that failure to meet this deadline would prompt him to lead the alleged victims and sympathizers in a peaceful march to the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin. As a national comrade and activist, he vowed to fight for justice, transparency, and accountability in public service, seeking to reclaim the innocent people’s money.

“It breaks my heart listening to our people lamentation on a radio programme on Harmony FM a few days ago. According to them, they have put series of efforts in place so as to retrieve their hard earned money and these all end in futility.

“These people said they paid these monies to suppose plots of lands in Offa local LGA through the local government treasurer.

“Indigenes and residents should not be discourage to acquire landed properties in Offa for the obvious and shared dream of building Offa into an enviable smart community which has been passionately driven by our Royal Father, His Royal Majesty, Olofa of Offaland, Oba Mufutau Muhammed Oloyede Gbadamosi, Okikiola Esuwoye II, Ajagungbade I since his enthronement.

“Offa and its environs can only developed when more infrastructures that will boost population and in turn boost economy are freely encouraged. Today, these people say they paid for plots of lands, but only few got receipts, few didn’t get any receipts, few got land allocations and others did not. This dubious acts look like targeted ones to defraud and swindle people of their sweats. It is highly disturbing even as it connects with the LGA authorities, TIC Chairman being on the fore.

“Understanding the reality on ground visa viz the economy situation in the country and how hard one works to gather such amounts, I humbly and respectfully appeal to Honourable Thomas Olatundun, the Transition Implementation Chairman of Offa Local Government to kindly refund all those that paid for the controversial and invisible lands before it is too late.

“While hoping a reasonable effort shall be made to refund between now and 14 working days, failure to this shall warrant my humble self leading in my capacity as national comrade and activist fight the inhumanity of man against man, transparency and accountability in the public service leading all the victims along other sympathizers in a protest to government House in Ilorin to press home the demand the refund of our innocent people’s money immediately.”

Salahudeen Lukman, also known as Eluku Omo Adugbo, holds key positions as the acting director for Societal Safety Network and chairman of the Nigerian Citizens Action Group.

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Jimoh Taofik

Taofik is a Mass Communication lecturer, trained journalist, freelancer, editor, researcher, corporate communications and public relations expert. He has Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mass Communication from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State and currently a Bsc student in the same discipline at Summit University, Offa, Kwara State. Taofik teaches Mass Communication at the Polytechnic, Ojoku, Kwara State. He is a guest-contributor for PIJAlance Magazine.