The Ogun State Government has filed criminal charges against two traditional rulers and other individuals over alleged acts of land grabbing across the state.
In a statement issued by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN, the government confirmed that Oba Fatai Matanmi, the Onijoko of Ijoko Ota, has been charged with “forceful takeover of land and forcible entry of land contrary to law.”
According to the statement, investigations revealed that Oba Matanmi sold a parcel of land in 1976 for ₦22,000 to one Madam Irokosu, now deceased. “In her lifetime, Madam Irokosu fenced the land. Mrs Irokosu sold the land in 2016 to the complainant who immediately took possession after which Madam Irokosu died,” the statement read.
Following her death, Oba Matanmi allegedly began harassing the complainant, claiming that Madam Irokosu owed him a balance of ₦28,000. “Although this claim was bogus, the complainant paid ₦5,000,000 to Oba Matanmi to let peace reign,” the government said. Despite the payment, the harassment reportedly continued, leading to the filing of charges in suit HCT/84R/2025: The State v. Oba Fatai Matanmi.
In a separate case, the government filed suit HCT/77R/2025: The State v. Oba Yusuf Olasunkanmi, charging the Olu of Orile-Igbon, a town in the Igbesa area, with “securing entry into land by violence.” The statement alleged that Oba Olasunkanmi, “using intermediaries, unlawfully appropriated land belonging to the complainant and many other persons,” and enforced a judgment “in areas more than one kilometre away from the judgment land.”
“Oba Olasunkanmi chased away the legitimate occupants of the land,” the statement added. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday, 25 September 2025.
Additionally, charges have been filed against Chief Lekan Agbogun and Chief Akinbowale Beckley for allegedly selling a complainant’s property in the Mosafejo area of Abeokuta without authority. “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,” the government stated.
While emphasizing that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, Ogungbade said the charges demonstrate the government’s resolve to combat land-related crimes. “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.
