Crime & Security

Ogun Files Criminal Charges Against Two Obas, Others.

The Ogun State government, in its bid to sanitize the land administration system and put an end to land grabbing activities has filed criminal charges against two traditional rulers and two other persons, bordering on acts of land grabbing across the state.

A statement signed by the state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN, revealed that the state government filed criminal charges of forceful takeover of land and forceful entry into land contrary to the law against the Onijoko of Ijoko-Ota, Oba Fatai Matanmi.

The statement added that facts uncovered during investigation after a complaint was lodged against the monarch revealed that Oba Matanmi sold a parcel of land from N22,000 to one Madam Irokosu, now late, in 1976. Madam Irokosu in her lifetime not only fenced the land, but sold the land in 2016 to the complainant, who immediately took possession after which Madam Irokosu died.

Following her demise, Oba Matanmi began to harass the complainant, claiming that the late Madam Irokosu owed him a balance of 28,000. Although this claim was bogus and unsubstantiated, the complainant paid N5 mollion to Oba Matanmi to let peace reign.

Notwithstanding the collection of the N5 million, Oba Matami continued to harass the complainant, leading to the criminal charges filed against him in suit number HCT/84R/2025 - The State vs Oba Fatai Matanmi.

In a related development, the state filed another criminal charges against another monarch, the Olu of Orile-Igbon, a town in Igbesa area of Ogun State, Oba Yusuf Olasunkanmi, bordering on violent entry into a land and the use of intermediaries, and unlawfully appropriated land belonging to the complainant and many other persons, in suit number HCT/77R/2025 - The State vs Oba Yusuf Olasunkanmi.

Oba Olasunkanmi was alleged to be using the cover of a judgment obtained against third parties to commission the attachment of land and enforcement of the judgment in areas more than one kilometre away from the judgment land.

It was alleged that Oba Olasunkanmi chased away the legitimate occupants of the land and he is due for arraignment on Thursday 25 September 2025.

Furthermore, the state has also filed criminal charges against another two persons - Chief Lekan Agbogun and Chief Akinbowale Beckley - for allegedly selling a complainant's property in Mosafejo area of Abeokuta, without authority.

Ogungbade, SAN, averred that these persons connived and sold a third party's property to a buyer overseas, notwithstanding that they had no title claim or documents to the land and despite the presence of the complainant's existing building on the land.

While these defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, the state has filed these charges as a further demonstration of the its commitment to tackle land grabbing and criminal dealings regarding land.

Assuring the public that no matter the personalities involved, where facts warrant and it is in the public interest to do so, the state government pledges its determination to resist and redress all land grabbing actions that come to its notice.