Tension in Lagos community over massive land grab

The Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Onikan, Lagos State has commenced investigations into an alleged land grab, malicious damage, encroachment, trespass and threat to life.

It is one of the biggest land grabbing deals in Okegun-Odofin via Elerangbe, an outskirt of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area.

The plots of land involved totals over 2,000 acres with some accusing Ismail Ogunkoya, who doubles as the village Baale (Community Head), of involvement alongside one of his allies, Wale Fatai, aka JOGOH, and others at large.

The police have invited them via letters dated April 30, 2024 for interviews to unravel the circumstances that surrounded the malicious damage to property and the illegal perimeter fence on the said mass of land, using Ajagungbale (land warriors), OPC boys and some operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command nearby to protect the grab while the construction of new perimeter fence is ongoing.

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Report said that Ogunkoya had consistently denied involvement in the deal and had pointed the finger at some officials from the New Town Development Authority as being the brains behind the takeover.

His claim, according to feelers, was that he was only contracted to supply over 50,000 blocks at N1,000 each, bags of cements, sand, labour and other construction materials to the site, without as yet any documentary evidence from the government.

The attempt to take over the entire mass of land with the attendant destruction of over 800 houses that would follow and other undeveloped property in the area has heightened tension with property owners vowing a violent showdown with the usurpers.

It is feared that the violent showdown may lead to loss of valuable property and loss of innocent lives.

The letters of invitation to the actors in the crisis were issued from the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, and signed by Ajao S. Adewale, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (ZCID).

A stakeholder in the community said the question begging for an answer was how a Baale who was already touting himself as His Royal Majesty (Oba), without a staff of office could tell house owners to take photographs in front of their houses and submit to him to determine compensation when he’s not a registered valuer or representing the interest of the Lagos State Government.

The stakeholders said that the Baale was also a supplier on the site.

A source close to the development said: “It is now an open secret that there is more to it than meets the eyes; a developer is already in top discussions with Ismaila Ogunkoya and his partner, Wale Fatai, aka JOGOH, and others to buy this mass of land from them with the connivance of some already compromised top government officials in Alausa to help facilitate government allocation on the said property.

“It’s on record that similar occurrence happened the same time last year almost in the same area where one Abiodun Raji, a generator mechanic, was killed, his house destroyed, with five other recorded deaths, paving way for Tiwa Homes and Garden, an estate developer, to take over.

“Presently, the property is under sale by the developer.

“This land grabbers have made enormous wealth in the act while using the name and influence of a retired Supreme Court judge who is also a former Nigerian Ambassador and a first class monarch in Epe Local Government axis to  hoodwink unsuspecting victims on property sale, despite having several court cases on land matters hanging on his neck in various courts.”

The source said that the property/land owners were appealing to the amiable peace and kind-hearted Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwoolu, to immediately investigate this matter at this early stage to rein in government officials involved in the alleged land allocation scandal to serve as punishment and deterrent to others while bringing all the alleged grabbers involved to book.

The source added: “It is also a thing of interest that the police zonal command would do a discreet, thorough investigation, and, carry out, if need be, necessary visits to government parastatals to ascertain and verify all documents tendered to prove or disprove claims, in the interest of fairness, equity and justice so that peace would return to the area in earnest.

“The hope is that the matter will not be swept under the carpet since the next police 

interrogation comes up on Tuesday, 7th May, 2024, involving all concerned parties to the crisis.”