A retired civil engineer, Mr. Olufemi Faseun, has raised alarm over what he describes as the unlawful occupation and closure of his family property by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, allegedly acting in collaboration with known land grabbers. The property in question, located at No. 10, Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja, Lagos, has reportedly been under lock and key for over 40 days without any court order, rendering tenants homeless, halting businesses, and denying access to legitimate property owners.
Speaking to reporters, Faseun recounted a history of harassment and intimidation that he says has spanned several years but escalated recently with direct police involvement. According to him, the property was purchased by his late father in 1961 and has remained in the family ever since, with all legal documents properly registered under the former Western Region and at the current Lagos State Lands Registry in Alausa.
“I grew up in this house. My father ran a poultry at the back of the property for many years until his death in 2004. Since then, we have been under siege from land grabbers,” Faseun stated. “What we’re experiencing now is a dangerous alliance between some corrupt police officers and known land speculators who are determined to take over our land by force.”
He identified one Mr. Tomori Williams as a self-proclaimed consultant to the traditional family laying claim to the land. According to Faseun, Williams admitted on video to mobilizing people to take over the property on behalf of his clients. Despite ongoing petitions and complaints, no restraining action has been taken by the authorities.
The situation worsened on June 4 and 5, 2025, when armed policemen, said to be from Zone 2 Command, invaded the premises without a warrant or court order, locked up the main residential building, shut down a restaurant run by a tenant, and arrested occupants on site. “They came back the next day and repeated the same operation. When I went to Zone 2 to ask why, I was informed that I’m being charged with contempt of court,” Faciun explained.
He said the claim of contempt is unfounded as no lawful court order was served, nor was there any legal basis for the police to carry out an eviction or closure. “I asked them: where is the court order? Where is the sheriff? Under Nigerian law, police cannot enforce civil court orders without a sheriff, and they certainly cannot lock up a private property without documentation,” he added.
Faseun lamented the impact of the ongoing crisis on tenants, business operators, and prospective property owners. Several of the apartments at the rear of the property, he said, had been sold to buyers who were ready to move in, but all access has been blocked. “One of the tenants, a restaurant operator, has been out of business for over 40 days. Workers have lost their jobs, and people who invested in this property are being denied possession. This is not just a land dispute anymore — it is economic sabotage.”
He appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to urgently investigate the conduct of the police officers involved and direct the reopening of the property pending lawful adjudication. “If officers of the law can help land grabbers and oppress people with legal ownership, then the system is broken. IGP Egbetokun must act now to restore public confidence.”
Speaking on the legal implications of the case, Faseun’s lawyer, Dr. Gbenga Eretan, a legal practitioner, expressed deep concern over what he described as a fundamental abuse of power by the police. According to him, the matter had previously been investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, where a report was concluded and suspects were scheduled for arraignment. However, he said the process was suddenly halted and transferred back to Zone 2, which began a fresh and unprocedural investigation.
“The handling of this matter by Zone 2 Command is in violation of police investigative procedure and contradicts the provisions of the Police Act 2020,” Ereta stated. “Under Section 31 of the Police Act, once an investigation is concluded, the police are required to forward their report to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice before any prosecution can proceed. The police have no authority to initiate prosecution on their own, much less impose penalties.”
He further argued that the sealing of the property constitutes unlawful punishment, contrary to Section 6 of the Constitution which vests judicial powers solely in the courts. “Locking a private property, evicting tenants, and preventing access without a court order is an act of extrajudicial punishment. The law presumes every person innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. What the police have done here is tantamount to declaring guilt and executing punishment without trial.”
Eretan added that the police also violated Section 32 of the Police Act, which clearly prohibits officers from intervening in civil matters, such as landlord-tenant disputes or ownership claims. “Eviction is a civil matter governed by the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011. The police cannot wake up one morning and shut down a legally occupied property because someone paid them to do so. This is not only illegal but dangerous for society.”
He called on the IGP to take disciplinary action against the officers involved, ensure that suspects already investigated are arraigned based on the SCID report, and order the immediate unsealing of the property to allow tenants and owners access.
As at the time of filing this report, the property remains locked, and affected parties continue to count their losses. Multiple petitions against the alleged land consultant, Tomori Williams, are said to be pending at the Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbers, yet no visible enforcement has taken place.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations, while the IGP is being urged to uphold public trust by ensuring that the law is not weaponised against innocent citizens.