Ogun Govt Drags Two Obas, Others to Court Over Land Grabbing

 

The Ogun State Government has filed criminal charges against two traditional rulers and other individuals over alleged acts of land grabbing in different parts of the state.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the government remains committed to prosecuting land grabbers irrespective of their social or traditional status.

According to him, the charges include forceful takeover of land, forcible entry, and unlawful sales of property belonging to legitimate owners.

In one of the cases, the State filed suit number HCT/84R/2025, The State v. Oba Fatai Matanmi, against the Onijoko of Ijoko Ota. Oba Matanmi was accused of harassing a complainant who had legally acquired land from the late Madam Irokosu.

Despite the complainant paying him ₦5 million to maintain peace, the monarch allegedly continued his harassment, leading to the case.

Similarly, another case, HCT/77R/2025, The State v. Oba Yusuf Olasunkanmi, was filed against the Olu of Orile-Igbon in Igbesa.

Oba Olasunkanmi was accused of unlawfully appropriating land through intermediaries, chasing away legitimate occupants, and enforcing a judgment in areas outside the land covered by the ruling.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday, September 25, 2025.

The State also filed charges against Chief Lekan Agbogun and Chief Akinbowale Beckley for allegedly selling land in Mosafejo, Abeokuta, without authority.

The duo were accused of fraudulently disposing of a complainant’s property to a buyer abroad despite lacking ownership documents and despite an existing building standing on the land.

Ogungbade stressed that while all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, the cases show Ogun State’s resolve to fight land grabbing.

“The State Government assures the public that no matter the personalities involved, where the facts warrant and it is in the public interest to do so, the State will resist and redress all land grabbing actions that come to its notice,” he said.