Shangisha Dispute: 546 Landlords Challenge Lagos Over AllocOf 549 Plots To Three Individuals 

A fresh controversy has erupted over the protracted Shangisha land dispute, with 546 judgment creditors accusing the Lagos State Government of issuing a global Certificate of Occupancy covering their 549 plots in favour of one individual, Chief Adebayo Adeyiga, and two associates, despite two substantive appeals pending before the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division.

The aggrieved landowners also questioned the role of the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, alleging that the issuance of the disputed title contradicted his earlier position before the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) that administrative action on the allocation had been suspended.

They argued that the government’s action could undermine the pending appellate proceedings and prejudice the proprietary interests of the 546 judgment creditors.

The controversy stems from the Supreme Court’s 2012 judgment concerning the Shangisha Landlords Association, following which the judgment creditors were expected to cooperate with the Lagos State Government to determine an appropriate mechanism for implementing the decision.

However, disagreements reportedly emerged during subsequent negotiations when Adeyiga allegedly demanded that all 549 plots be allocated exclusively in his name and those of two associates.

The majority of the judgment creditors reportedly rejected the proposal, insisting that individual titles should be issued to the respective beneficiaries or, alternatively, that the allocation should be made in the name of the Registered Trustees of the Shangisha Landlords Association for equitable distribution among bona fide members.

The individual members even wrote directly to the land use allocation committee, stressing their demand that land should be allocated individually. Communication was also made in this regard directly to the present Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo Olu.

Efforts to resolve the disagreement reportedly collapsed during the administration of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, with the dispute subsequently developing into parallel litigation that has continued under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Two appeals arising from the disagreement are currently pending before the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division.

The first, Appeal No. CA/L/1005M/2018, Chief Adebayo Adeyiga & Ors v. Military Governor of Lagos State & Ors, arose from an interlocutory ruling of the High Court restricting Adeyiga’s representation of the 549 judgment creditors to only six members. Adeyiga, who had initially purported to represent all 549 beneficiaries, reportedly challenged the restriction before the appellate court. The appeal remains unresolved.
The second appeal, CA/LAG/CV/117/2026, Mrs. Ogunsola Dawodu & Ors v. The Executive Governor of Lagos State & Anor, challenges the decision of Justice Lawal Alebiosu, who declined to order individual allocations or grant title to the Registered Trustees of the association. Dissatisfied with the decision, the appellants approached the Court of Appeal and also filed an application for an interlocutory injunction.

The aggrieved landowners maintained that issuing the disputed Certificate of Occupancy while the appeals remained pending raised serious questions about respect for judicial authority and the doctrine of lis pendens, which generally seeks to preserve disputed property against changes capable of undermining ongoing litigation.

The Attorney-General’s alleged involvement in the allocation process has also become a subject of professional scrutiny, following a petition submitted to the LPPC.

According to the petitioner, Mr. Lawal Pedro SAN was accused of directing the Executive Secretary of the Land Use and Allocation Committee to issue title documents to Adeyiga’s faction. However, in his response to the petition, the Attorney-General reportedly acknowledged giving the directive but countered that he had also issued orders directing a suspension of action on the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy.

In paragraph 17 of his response, Pedro stated:

“In response to paragraphs 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 of the complainant, the Respondent states that by reason of the frivolous action filed by the complainant in suit number ID/5391LM/2025, which was dismissed by the High Court, and his subsequent appeal from the decision of the High Court, the Executive Secretary, Land Use and Allocation Committee was directed to stay action on the grant of certificate of occupancy and thereby frustrated the implementation of the Supreme Court Judgment.”

The petitioner, however, questioned why the government subsequently proceeded with the issuance of the disputed global Certificate of Occupancy despite the Attorney-General’s acknowledgment that administrative action had been suspended. They argued that the development raised questions about the consistency of the government’s position and the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the title.

Consequently, the aggrieved landowners call on the Lagos State Government to immediately revoke or suspend the disputed Certificate of Occupancy issued in favour of Adeyiga and his associates. They also demanded that all administrative dealings concerning the 549 plots be suspended until the Court of Appeal delivers its final decisions on the pending appeals.

The aggrieved landowners insisted that the dispute should be resolved through the judicial process, warning that an administrative arrangement favouring a select few could undermine the interests of the other judgment creditors.