Officials of the State Security Service, SSS, in Kwara State have waded into the family feud following litigation over piece of land in Alagbede, Ita-Alamu area of Ilorin that could lead to bloody clash among vested interests.

Community Mirror had reported how a faction in the family got a court order to evict home owners who had built their houses and lived in the area for decades and the manner in which the court officials had served the notice on them Reliable sources said the security service had invited members of the family disputing ownership of the land, and the home owners who bought their land from one of the parties, to a meeting where the issue was thoroughly discussed. An anonymous source, said the meeting took place at the SSS command office in Ilorin with lawyers to the parties in attendance.

There were nine representatives from the community and five from the family disputing ownership of the land. It was gathered that a planned public protest by women from the community was cancelled at the instance of the SSS as such move might be misconstrued. The women, who had hired 20 buses, had planned to go to the state House of Assembly to lodge their complaint even as they planned to visit the Emir of Ilorin, Alhahi Ibrahim Gambari, since the disputants hail from the emirate.

An Upper Area Court in Ilorin had recently ordered one of the parties in the dispute to take ownership both of the land and the premises on it. The attempt to carry out the court order led to violence as aggrieved residents alleged that policemen brutalised them without cause.

The affected residents, majority of them retirees, have now approached the state lawmakers seeking intervention over their plight as well as the physical assault, humiliation and harassment they have suffered from those who came to serve the writ of the court. The families in dispute include one Muhammed Alabi, who is the plaintiff in the case against three others believed to be family members.

They are Alhaji Issa Alabi (deceased), Alhaji Hassan Said Animashaun and Alhaji Salihi Kareem. A court order, of July 27, 2011 had directed that the parcels of land on which the people constructed their buildings be delivered up to Alabi, by the respondents who sold the land to the embattled residents. The writ issued by the court directed the bailiff and other messengers of the court to give possession of the affected land to Alabi.

The writ reads:  Whereas by an order of this court dated the July 27, 2011, Alh aji Issa Alabi (substituted by Mallam Hassan Issa),Alhaji Hassan Said Animashaun and Alhaji Salihi Kareem were ordered to deliver to Muhammed Alabi (for himself and on behalf of Abagun Family of Gaa-Ubandawaki Village, via Sapati-Oko, Asa LGA) possession of the land and premises herein after mentioned, that is to say the vast expanse of land measuring 8.22 hectares marked as B in the site plan, situate and lying at Alagbede, Ita-Alamu area, Ilorin, Kwara State You are hereby commanded to give possession of the said land and premises to the said Muhammed Alabi and to make a report of what you have done under this writ immediately after the execution thereof and to bring that report and this writ to this court.