Lagos Assembly asks Sanwo-Olu to enforce appropriate sanctions against land grabbers

…wades into Ikorodu land dispute

In an effort to address the extortion and fraudulent sale of land to multiple buyers, the Lagos State House of Assembly has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct all land-related agencies to expedite actions that will protect ownership rights, ensure peaceful possession of properties, and enforce appropriate sanctions against land grabbers.

The House made the call after the presentation of a report on a petition titled “Abuse of Office, Malicious Destruction, Land Grabbing and Undue Conversion of Property against Aluko Olusegun, Vice-Chairman of Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area,” submitted by Mr. Tijani Moruf Oludare.

The resolution was reached during plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Rt. (Hon) Mudashiru Obasa, on Tuesday.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASIEC, Hon. Oladipo Ajomale, explained that the Committee invited concerned stakeholders and relevant MDAs, reviewed documents from both parties, and visited the disputed parcel of land.

Ajomale stated that their findings revealed that a perimeter fence covered four plots of land, constructed years earlier as claimed by petitioner Tijani Moruf. Within the fenced property were the two contentious plots.

The Committee noted that Aluko failed to conduct due diligence before purchasing the land, relying instead on a purported Appeal Court judgment involving the Oponuwa Ogunmolu family. The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) had also demolished ongoing structures on the site.

It recommended that Tijani, who obtained the necessary documents from the state government, should take permanent possession of the four plots of land purchased from the Oponuwa Ogunmolu Adaraloye family branch at Igbo Agbowa village in Ikorodu. Conversely, Mr. Aluko was directed to desist from unlawful encroachment and construction on the land in line with a recent High Court judgment of January 2025.

Meanwhile, Hon. Akinsanya Nureni (Mushin 1) canvassed that Aluko be punished for his actions to serve as a deterrent to others involved in multiple land sales.

The lawmakers, however, lauded the Committee’s work and unanimously adopted its recommendations as the resolution of the House.