Ogun state government drags two traditional rulers to court over alleged land grabbing

The Ogun State Government has dragged two traditional rulers, Oba Fatai Matanmi, Onijoko of Ijoko Ota and Oba Yusuf Olasunkanmi, Olu of Orile-Igbon, as well as two other persons, before a State High Court sitting in Abeokuta over allegations of land grabbing and related offences.

Penpushing reports that the government arraigned accused the monarchs and two others of forcefully taking over and forcibly entering lands belonging to other persons contrary to laws against land grabbing in the state.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ogun State, Oluwasina Ogungbade, explained that the government has filed the charges as a further demonstration of its commitment to tackle land grabbing and criminal dealings regarding land.

Penpushing further reports that Ogungbade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said facts presented before the court revealed that Matanmi had in 1976 sold a parcel of land for N22,000 to one Madam Irokosu, now late.

The Commissioner in a statement said before her demise, Irokosu fenced the land and later sold the same in 2016 to the complainant who immediately took possession after which Irokosu died.

Penpushing also reports that the statement added that following her demise, Matanmi allegedly started harassing the complainant claiming that the deceased owed him a balance of N28,000, stating that in search of peace, the complainant paid N5,000,000 to Matanmi.

The statement stated that inspite of the payment, the complainant alleged that Matami continued to harass him, leading to the charges filed in HCT/84R/2025 by the state government.

Penpushing reports that in similar vein, Oba Olasunkanmi was accused of securing entry into land by violence in the Igbesa area of Ogun State, using intermediaries, unlawfully appropriated land belonging to the complainant and many other persons.

The statement said hiding under the cover of a judgment obtained against third parties, Olasunkanmi allegedly commissioned the attachment of land and enforcement of the judgment in areas more than one kilometre away from the subject of the judgment, chasing away the legitimate occupants of the said land.

Penpushing further reports that commissioner disclosed that Olasunkanmi will be arraigned on Thursday September 25, 2025, adding that in addition the government has equally filed charges against Chief Lekan Agbogun and Chief Akinbowale Beckley, who sold a complainant’s property in Mosafejo area of Abeokuta, without authority.

The statement said 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.

Penpushing also reports that Ogungbade confirming the prosecution of the traditional rulers and the other accused persons, assures the public that no matter the personalities involved, where the facts warrant and it is in the public interest to do so, the government will resist and redress all land grabbing actions that come to its notice.

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