Ibadan forest of horror: Police stop demolition

WALLS came crashing down and roofing sheets got crumpling as bulldozer rumbled in the Ibadan “forest of horror” yesterday.

But the police moved in to stop the demolition of structures at the Soka, forest where victims of ritualists and human parts were discovered last Saturday.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi revoked the certificate of occupancy of the land and reclaimed it for the government.

However, as the demolition got underway, Police Commissioner Mohammed Idabawa halted it, saying the police forensic team needed more time to comb the forest for evidence that would enable it determine those behind the activities at the evil forest.

Oluyole Local Government Chairman, Ayodele Abass-Aleshinloye, who received the call from Indabawa, said he pleaded that forensic experts from Abuja needed more time for their investigations.

Abass Aleshinloye and his Ibadan South West Local Government Area counterpart Taoreed Bolaji Adeleke, were on hand to witness the demolition before it was stopped.

They said the governor approved the stoppage. The demolition is to resume tomorrow.

They said the land was owned by the 11 local government areas in Ibadan but was leased to Costain Nigeria Limited during the channelisation of the Ogunpa River.

They explained that the land had been abandoned for 10 years which gave room for people to commit crimes.

“We are going to clear everything so as to uncover everything including the alleged underground or dungeon,” Aleshinloye said.

He threatened owners of undeveloped property that the C of O of undeveloped property in the city would be revoked.

Abass-Aleshinloye and Adeleke said efforts were being made to ensure that the speculation in some quarters of a possible dungeon in the forest was properly investigated and the site cordoned off.

Special Adviser on Media to the governor, Dr Festus Adedayo, said in a statement that the police boss reasoned that should the demolition be allowed to go on as earlier planned, concrete evidence that would help the police in their investigations would have been destroyed.

He said the demolition and the clearing of the bush would resume on Friday as the forensic experts were expected to have completed their investigations today.

Ibadan forest of horror: Police stop demolition