Ogunnusi Oloko family escalates land dispute to Sanwo-Olu, Police

The Ogunnusi Oloko Family of Arapagi-Oloko Village, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State, has escalated its petition over alleged illegal sale of ancestral land to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Nigeria Police, raising fresh concerns about land fraud in the fast-growing coastal corridor.

The family accused Mr. Sakiru Toyin Ganiyu of falsely presenting himself as the head of the family and selling communal land without authorisation, an allegation it said is contradicted by official records.

Checks on documents filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) show that Mr. Ganiyu’s name does not appear among the registered trustees or principal officers of the Ogunnusi Oloko Family Association, which was incorporated in 2013.

The CAC documents list recognised family heads and trustees, including Elder Mumuni Adebola Oloko, acknowledged by the family as Head of the Family.

In a petition earlier addressed to the Paramount Ruler of Ibeju Land, Oba Waliu Olasunkanmi Oniwolu, and now escalated to the state government and security agencies, the family alleged that Mr. Ganiyu falsified family documents, forged signatures of senior family members and collected millions of naira from land buyers.

A formal resolution issued by the family association also warned against illegal and unapproved land sales and announced plans to prosecute any individual found culpable.

The resolution noted that the activities allegedly continued despite repeated appeals and internal interventions.

The family further alleged that Mr. Ganiyu recently petitioned the Lagos State Attorney-General against some principal family members, describing the claims as unsubstantiated and an attempt to legitimise disputed land transactions.

In its appeal to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the family urged the state government to intervene to halt further land sales, protect innocent buyers and preserve communal land ownership in Ibeju-Lekki, an area experiencing intense real-estate pressure.

It also called on the police to investigate alleged cases of impersonation, forgery and obtaining money under false pretence.

The family stressed that its action was aimed at safeguarding ancestral property and preventing further disputes that could threaten peace in the community.

As of press time, Mr. Sakiru Toyin Ganiyu had not responded to the allegations, while officials of the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police were yet to issue official statements.