Counsel Refutes Land Grabbing Allegations, Denies Involvement in Owode Violence

Counsel to Lagos businessman and Chief Executive Officer of Prosperous Ariori Golden Venture Limited, Engr. Abiodun Ariori, has clarified that his client is neither a land grabber nor a wanted person.

In a statement issued on Friday, Ariori’s lawyer, Mr. Owolabi K. Oluwasegun, dismissed reports linking his client to the recent violent clash at Owode Onirin, which reportedly claimed three lives.

According to Owolabi, Ariori has consistently acted within the law, operating under valid court judgments and orders relating to the disputed Owode land.

He explained that the land belongs to the Olowu family, who secured judgments in their favour and subsequently engaged Ariori to enforce those court orders.

He further noted that even the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, had been part of earlier enforcement processes, and that both the Lagos State Government and market traders were aware that Ariori and the Olowu family were in lawful possession of the land.

“Engr. Ariori is not a land grabber. He is in possession of several valid court judgments, including appellate decisions, that guide his operations on the Owode land. He has never taken the law into his hands,” Owolabi stated.

The lawyer recalled that when disputes arose between the Olowu family, Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, and the traders, the matter was referred to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2, Mr. Adegoke Fayoade, and later discussed at a stakeholders’ meeting chaired by the Lagos State Attorney-General, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN. Senior lawyer and counsel to the traders, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, was also present.

At that meeting, it was reportedly resolved that the land should be shared on a 60–40 basis between the Olowu family (represented by Ariori) and Agboyi-Ketu LCDA. The Attorney-General further clarified that allocation letters held by the marketers did not confer legal ownership.

Despite this resolution, Owolabi alleged that the marketers went ahead to destroy properties belonging to Ariori and the Olowu family.

He stressed that Ariori was not at the scene of the recent violence and had no involvement in the chaos.

Owolabi emphasized that Ariori has never been declared wanted, noting that only a court of competent jurisdiction can issue such an order.

“No one can be declared wanted without a court order. My client has always obeyed the law and cooperated with security agencies. If summoned, he will appear with all necessary documents to prove his lawful possession,” he said.

The lawyer added that those directly involved in the riot had already been summoned by the Commissioner of Police, and that Ariori should not be falsely implicated in the matter.