Ogun govt drags monarchs to court over land grabbing

The Ogun State Government has filed charges against two traditional rulers and other persons over alleged land grabbing in the state.

The Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), made this known via a statement on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.

Ogungbade said the Ogun State Government filed charges of forceful takeover of land and forcible entry of land contrary to law against the Onijoko of Ijoko Ota, Oba Fatai Matanmi, as facts uncovered in investigation revealed that the monarch sold a parcel of land in 1976 for 22,000 to one Madam Irokosu, now late.

Oba Fatai Matanmi added that in her lifetime, Irokosu fenced the land and sold it in 2016 to the complainant who immediately took possession, adding that following her demise, Oba Matanmi began to harass the complainant, claiming that late Irokosu owed him a balance of N28,000.

“Although this claim was bogus, the complainant paid 5,000,000 to Oba Matanmi to let peace reign, but the Oba continued to harass the complainant, leading to the charges filed in HCT/84R/2025 The State v. Oba Fatai Matanmi,” the commissioner stated.

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Similarly, the Ogun State Government slammed another Oba Yusuf Olasunkanmi, the Olu of Orile-Igbon, a town in Igbesa area of Ogun State, with charges of forceful entry into a land using intermediaries and unlawfully appropriating land belonging to a complainant and many other persons.

“Using cover of a judgment obtained against third parties, Oba Olasunkanmi allegedly commissioned the attachment of land and enforcement of the judgment in areas more than one kilometre away from the judgment land,” Ogungbade said.

Ogungbade noted that the traditional ruler later chased away the legitimate occupants of the land.

The commissioner stated that monarch will be arraigned on Thursday, September 25.

He added: “Further, the State has also filed charges against another two persons Chief Lekan Agbogun and Chief Akinbowale Beckley who sold a complainant’s property in Mosafejo area of Abeokuta, without authority.

“These accused connived and sold a third party’s property to a buyer overseas without any 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 State’s commitment to tackle land grabbing and criminal dealings regarding land.

“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.”

The Star