Offa/Ipe Land dispute :Court grants Ipee community leave to Appeal judgment

From Omoola Olarewaju,Ilorin

Kwara State High Court, presided over by Justice Y. A. Dikko has granted the application of Ipee community to appeal against the judgement of High Court Offa which recently declared that Pooro area or Odo pooro belongs to Offa community.

The ruling which was delivered  Wednesday  also granted the prayer of Ipee community to deem the Notice of Appeal already filed on 29th July, 2025 against the judgement of Offa High
Court as properly filed, and served on all the respondents.

The judgment by the court also ordered stay of execution of the judgements of the Offa High Court pending the hearing, and determination of the appeal.

The court further restrained the respondents, their agent, privilege, or any other person or persons claiming through them from further laying claims to the land at Odo Pooro area, Imolumo, and Akoye pending the hearing, and determination of the appeal filled by Ipee Community.

It would be recalled that the Ipee Community in the Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State had recently called on the state Governor, AbdulRahman AbduRasaq to caution the Offa community which they said has laid claims to a land at Ile Poro which belongs to them .

Ipee Community said Offa is falsely laying claim to the land saying it belongs to some family compounds in Offa.

Ipee Community warns that the governor’s urgent intervention will lead to avoidance of chaos between the two communities.

It would be recalled that the proposed siting of a Federal Government Housing Estate in Offa was approved with the location for the project at Ile Poro in the Egunkara Area but the Ipee Community said the location site falls into its territory

The claim that the land at Poro belong to some families compound in Offa was fabricated, unfounded and has no merit and the claim was premised on deliberate misrepresentation/misunderstanding of the court judgment referred to in the bulletin. The land at Poro has an agelong history associated with and cherished by Ipee people.”

“The IPU acknowledges the instances where the Ipee community has, in the interest of peaceful coexistence, made concessions regarding land to the Offa community. We hope that these gestures are recognized as a commitment to good neighborliness and not weaknesses. ”

“We urge the leadership of the ODU, and any individual or families from Offa, to cease making claims to Ile Poro or any other land within Ipee.”

Meanwhile, the President, Ipee Progressive Union, Mr Simeon Ayodele Ogunshola has joined the Asiwaju of Ipee Chief Olabode Afolayan to congratulate the Onipee of Ipee, Oba ( Dr.) Muftau Adebayo Lawal on the victory won at the Kwara State High Court sitting at GRA Ilorin which granted the request of Ipee Community to challenge the ceding of our land to Offa Community at the Court of Appeal.

In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of Ipee Progressive Union, Ibraheem Oluwatoyin equally appreciated the revered legal luminary, Barrister Omokayode Dada, (SAN) and his team for standing firmly to ensure that justice is served in our favour.