Jamiu Folarin, a journalist and researcher, fears for his life due to threats from suspected land grabbers in Ogun State.
FIJ learned that in addition to the alleged threats to the journalist’s life, some intruders have also encroached on a piece of land he acquired two years ago.
Folarin, who believes that some journalistic work he did between September and November 2023 may have triggered the threats, told FIJ that trouble started months after he hosted a radio programme on the menace of land grabbing in the state.
The threats to my life started months after I hosted a radio programme on Rockcity 101.9 FM on the criminal activities of land grabbers in Ogun State. This was in September 2023,” he told FIJ.
“For the programme, Olakunle Oluomo, the then speaker of the House of Assembly, was invited. The programme dwelt on the modus operandi of land grabbers and how they had been threatening people in the state. Callers made a lot of complaints on the programme.”
Links to the radio programme can be found here, here and here. FIJ learned that the second work Folarin did in November was an investigation that had to do with inflated multi-million naira projects executed by different contractors in the state.
PETITION FOR POLICE PROTECTION, INVESTIGATION
Folarin, who believes that there is a connection between his previous media engagements, the threats to his life, the encroachment on his land and a perceived attempt to stop him from further investigating the activities of land grabbers and government projects, petitioned the Ogun police command on Friday, March 22, 2024.
The petition was addressed to CSP Mustapha Opawuyi, the divisional police officer (DPO) at Sabo/Ilupeju Police Station in Abeokuta.
FIJ learned that the journalist and some of those who intruded on the land were subsequently summoned to the station on Saturday.