Notorious Land Speculator, Muritala Adebayo Wanted Over Land Grabbing

MICHAEL AKINOLA

The reign of terror by a notorious land speculator, Muritala Adebayo, popularly known as Olori Ebi Ajah, may have come to an end following his invasion and forceful taking of possession of some hectares of land belonging to Ogunbiade Ajakaiye family in Sangotedo area in Eti-osa Local Government Area of Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that Adebayo reportedly hired armed thugs, invaded and took possession of about 49 hectares of land belonging to Ajakaiye family, threatening to wipe out the whole family in order to take proper possession and started selling the land to unknown persons.
It was also gathered that it was not the first time Adebayo was said to have forcefully taken land from owners without regard to the Lagos State Government laws against land grabbing.
The Lagos State Government, in conjunction with the Nigeria Police under Lagos State Taskforce on land grabbing, were looking for him and other members of his gang and he was said to have gone into hiding over the alleged criminal trespassing and threat to life.
This followed a petition to the Lagos Attorney General and Honourable Commissioner for Justice in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, by the family solicitor, Barrister Olalekan Ogunsile, over the alleged criminal trespassing on the land.
In the petition, the complainant alleged that, Muritala Adebayo, popularly known Olori Ebi Ajah, conspired with one ‘Old Soldier’, real name unknown, who are representatives of Oladehinde family, Collins Dike with phone numbers, 08163562744, Beckly Akora with phone numbers 08188166644, Ifeanyi and others, criminally encroached into the land located at Monastery Road in Sangotedo area of Lagos without due regard to Lagos State laws over land grabbing.
It stated that the land in question had been the possession of Ogunbiade family with necessary documents before Adebayo led some armed thugs, invaded the place and started developing the land without the consent of the owners.
In the petition copied to the Lagos State Task Force, the petitioner asked the government to investigate the allegations brought against Adebayo and his cohorts and bring them to book in line with the criminal justice system of Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS scooped that since the petition to the state government, Adebayo and his cohorts have gone into hiding having realised that the Task Force on land grabbing has commenced manhunt in order to arrest them.
When our correspondent contacted the Task Force on land grabbing, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, sources at the office confirmed the petition from Ogunbiade Ajakaiye family and since then the suspects were on the run.
However, sources said that the Task Force were making every efforts to arrest Adebayo and his accomplices for prosecution over the alleged land grabbing.
The available phone numbers of the suspects mentioned in connection with the alleged land grabbing were switched off when our correspondent called the numbers showing that Adebayo and cohorts were still on the run.