The Olarinde Royal Family of New Oguntedo community in Satellite Town, Lagos, has accused land grabbers, aided by some police officers, of forcibly taking over their ancestral land. During a protest at The PUNCH Place, the family’s spokesperson, Prince Yussuf Olarinde, revealed they have faced harassment, intimidation, and even false criminal accusations in their bid to protect their land.
The disputed land was originally acquired by the federal government in 1978 during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, who later resettled the family with 14 living quarters and designated farmland as compensation. A Lagos High Court had affirmed the family’s ownership over 30 years ago, and the judgment was fully enforced.
Despite this legal backing, Olarinde lamented that land grabbers returned between 2014 and 2016, using force instead of legal processes to claim ownership. He alleged that thugs looted their homes, destroyed property, and forcibly evicted family members, with the help of some police officers. Attempts to seek government intervention through petitions to Governor Sanwo-Olu and other state officials have so far gone unanswered.
The family expressed concern over their safety and appealed for 24-hour police patrols. One member, Zainab, revealed that the high market value of the land — estimated at ₦40–₦50 million per plot — is what drew the interest of the invaders. She also noted that the crisis has disrupted her education due to the financial and emotional toll.
