Ogun private school principal appeals for help, laments threats to family

Ogun private school principal appeals for help, laments threats to family

A 50-year-old principal of a private secondary school in Ogun State has urgently called for help from well-meaning Nigerians after his family was thrown into disarray due to several death threats directed at him, his wife, and four children.

The school principal, identified as Taiwo Ebenezer Oluyinka, shared his distressing story with our reporter, explaining how the threats forced him and his family to vacate their hard-earned home and property to seek refuge in an undisclosed location. Sources close to Oluyinka revealed that his family has been under intense scrutiny by a group of assailants, who, he claims, are targeting them because of his refusal to surrender the documents of a plot of land owned by his father.

Oluyinka traced the origins of the situation to an incident on 10 November 2024, when a prominent landlord, allegedly involved in land grabbing, clashed with a wealthy and influential politician (names withheld). 

The two attempted to forcibly take over a piece of land that had been purchased by Oluyinka’s father ten years earlier. The land was sold to Oluyinka’s father by the landlord, referred to as the assignor.

According to Oluyinka, the assignor invited his father to the site of the land and demanded that he surrender both the property and the relevant documents, with the promise of offering him another plot elsewhere, not far from town. Sensing danger, Oluyinka’s father took his son along for the visit. Despite the offer, Oluyinka’s father firmly refused to give up the property, leading to a tense argument between the two parties.

Oluyinka further revealed that his father’s refusal was met with violent assault by a group of armed men who emerged unexpectedly and were allegedly ordered into action by the land assignor.

“As I watched helplessly as my father was beaten, I had no choice but to lie to the assignor, telling him that the documents were with me and that I would deliver them as soon as possible to stop the beating,” Oluyinka recounted.

Tragically, despite Oluyinka’s efforts to intervene, his father died from the injuries sustained during the attack while they were on their way to the nearest hospital for treatment.

Since that horrific incident, Oluyinka claims that he and his family have been relentlessly pursued by unknown assailants who have threatened to wipe out the entire family unless the land documents are handed over. He recounted instances when his home was raided, with several valuables destroyed in the search for the documents.

Oluyinka also expressed concern that the assailants might be targeting his office, potentially planning to kidnap him.

Visibly distressed, Oluyinka is calling on relevant security agencies to intervene and protect him and his family from further harm and possible death.

Efforts to contact the land assignor for a response to the allegations have been unsuccessful, as his phone lines remain unreachable.